Pascal's Point of View
by Punzie the Platypus
Summary: God bless you! In the movie, we see things from Rapunzel AND Flynn AND Gothel AND Maximus's points of view, but we never see Pascal's point of view. So this is the whole movie with Pascal's thoughts on things. God bless you!
1. Introduction to a Smart Chameleon

**DISCLAIMER: First and foremost, I do NOT OWN TANGLED. Believe me, I wish I did, but if I owned it, it would suck a lot more than if Disney owned it. So, everybody is happier that Disney owns it rather than me.**

Hi, I'm Pascal, I'm a color changing chameleon. Where do I live? Well, not in a house if that was what you were thinking, and not out in the forest either. No, I lived with my best friend, in a tower.

How did we come to live in a tower? Let me explain. For me, I was very tiny. I was walking around the valley when I came across the tower. Being curious, I climbed it and when I was about to enter it, my foot got stuck on the ledge. It was hooked in a crack, and I heard a crack as I tried to pull out my wittle foot. I couldn't pull it out and screeched when I was discovered. I was surprised who discovered me, though. It was a girl, mid-teen, with an elaborate purple dress and big green eyes, but the the thing that stuck out the most was the stuff hanging from her head. It was long and yellow and long and pretty and LONG.

She managed to unstuck me and carried me in. She crooned soothingly as she bandaged my foot and gave me a cracker. I haven't ever left.

And as for her? Her name is Rapunzel, and her backstory is far more complicated. Turns out, she's been living here for her whole life! She has a caretaker named Mother. I don't like Gothel. She scares me. She also has black, bushy and short curls which I hated in comparison of Rapunzel's smooth, silky, blonde, LONG hair. Gothel has a mean personality and I avoid her at all costs of her discovering me and throwing me out.

Rapunzel, on the other hand, was happy for my company. She is a kind and gentle sweetheart! I don't know how she does it, living in this, this, PRISON, but she remains ever faithful and nice. I applaud her for that. She has a bright disposition and she and Gothel are like night and day. Poor Rapunzel and I want to leave the tower, but Gothel was all like, "The world is a selfish place and the people will want your hair," and I was all like, "So we'll avoid the people," and she's like, "You stay here, okay, Rapunzel?" and Rapunzel always agrees because she is a nice person. I go wherever Rapunzel goes, so we stay in here.

Anywho, no more backstory, _I_ have a story to tell.

It all started out on the eve of Rapunzel's eighteenth birthday. We woke up, she got dressed and sleepily let Gothel ride down her shimmering locks to the ground below. Oh, sure, Gothel gets to go, she apparently has a backbone, but Rapunzel, whose hair is like the mightiest weapon, doesn't and can not go? It's a strange world we live in.

We ate breakfast, I had a strawberry and with more than enough time on our hands to kill, we play hide and seek. We play this often, for it is great fun. I hide every time because her hair, which has grown to an astounding 70 FEET LONG, is a dead give away. Just follow the yellow silk road; so I hide. It is easy, considering I can change colors into the background.

On the 22nd game, I found the perfect spot, next to a flowerpot on the windowsill. I changed into a flower and waited nervously. I snickered when she couldn't find me, and I stopped when she used her hair as a grappling hook and grabbed my tail. I was pulled towards a laughing-hanging-upside-down Rapunzel.

"Got ya! That's twenty-two for me," she counted as she lowered me onto the windowsill. "How about twenty-three out of forty-five?" I gave her a look saying, "You've got to be kidding."

"Well," she said slowly as she sat on the window's edge. "What do you want to do?"

I eagerly used my tail to point out of doors.

"Yeah, I don't think so. I like it in here, and so do you!" she pointed at me as she placed me on her lap.

I was mad. Not at her, but because of rules, rules, rules. I was so mad, I stuck my tongue out at her. I was so mad I didn't withdraw it.

She scooped me up into her hands, "Oh, come on Pascal, it's not SO bad in there." Oh, yes, it is.


	2. Routine, Lanterns and Mothers

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, well, I own one-third of the DVD. I DID pay $9. I would like to Ashlierthw for making this one of her favorite stories! Cookies for you! Cookies for everyone who reads and REVIEWS! Weird fact, authors LOVE REVIEWS! Please review. Thank you in advance. *Thought* I wonder if the cast and crew of Tangled ever read these fan fictions. Hmmmm...**

We started to do what we normally do. She started sweeping and I held the dustpan firmly, a little too firmly because I stood so still that she swept dust in my face. The strawberry tasted much better, I SHALL let you know. We polished and waxed and did laundry and mopped and polished everything including the stairwell that Gothel (shudder) liked to have clean.

We, as usual, picked out our very favorite stories, about rocks and roses and cakes. 1/2 cup this, 1/4 teaspoon that, yeah, I have this memorized, and so did she. This, as you might have guessed it, got boring, VERY QUICKLY. Very boring. She, with little ol' me on her shoulder, placed the books back on the shelf and she threw her hair onto the beams that held up the roof. I crawled up the wall very carefully, balancing a paint plate with my tail and she started painting, (she's such a free spirit).

She brought out her guitar that she had adorned herself with pink flowers and strummed as hard as she could. I hung myself in an old rag set up as a hammock and watched her bang at her guitar as I softly moved side to side.

She then proceeded to finish knitting a scarf she had started yesterday. I sat on her shoulder as she chased the ball of yarn and sat down comfortably on the seat. As she added stitches to it, the mass of woven yarn got all Tangled. She stopped and sighed as I gathered it all and managed to get it on her lap. She flashed me a grin, and I was like, "Why is she smiling at me?"

She then put me on the table next to her, and started to wrap the piece of clothing around me. Albeit, it was scratchy, but it only being late April, I liked the warmth, but I had to cross my eyes to watch her as the thing grew bigger and bigger. "Thank you, Pascal," she said warmly; she fairly glowed as she set herself about the task.

We normally start preparing things for lunch, (even though it was only nine in the morning) at this point but Rapunzel wanted to paint some more. "I just want to finish this one picture, Pascal, before Mother comes back. I can't get it off of my mind," she said as she looked into my face hopefully. "Sure, I didn't mind," my face said and she grabbed me and we twirled around. She had started a painting yesterday; she was going to burst with joy when she was finished. It was a picture of the floating lights and of her watching them on the top of a tree. What floating lights?

Every year, apparently for some strange and weird reason, the night sky would suddenly, very late at night, fill with floating lights! They'd glow and wave lazily through the breeze. They had come from up north, so they had to have come from Earth. Rapunzel had told me about them the first birthday I was here.

"And they just . . . . . float around, and they are _mersmerizing. _Pascal, my dream is to see them up close, not from a smelly old tower," Rapunzel smiled dreamily. "That's my dream."

When I had first watched them with her, I understood exactly what she meant. They were beautiful.

Reality hit! She's talking. "Come on, Bud," she said as she put her arm on the floor in order for me to climb it. Palette in hand, she used brave and bold strokes with her large brush and then replaced it with a detail brush as she patiently and tenderly added floating lights. I sighed. THAT painting was complete and gorgeous.

"Oh, Pascal, how I want to go see the floating lights this year. I'm eighteen! I think I might ask Mother," she whispered as if in awe of her artwork.

With a content sigh, she gave me a hint and jumped down from the mantle. She started packing up her painting box, and nudged her shoulder, mainly me, it didn't hurt though. "This is it; this is a very big day, Pascal," she giggled as she closed her box, and straightened up. "I'm going to do it; I'm going to ask her!" she squealed. Why, this was the best news I've ever heard! Rapunzel, asking Gothel to go see the floating lights? Awesome! I gave her a encouraging smile and a thumb's up as a voice drifted from the ground.

"Rapunzel," came the all too familiar voice. Rapunzel gasped in delight. "Let down your hey-ar!"

"It's time!" exclaimed Rapunzel. I gave her a hopeful look. "I know, I know! Don't let her see you!" she replied as I was placed on the wall and she carefully hid me behind the curtain. I turned black though, just in case.

Rapunzel skillfully brought that old woman up and they started to talk. I turned red with anger as Gothel kept teasing Rapunzel. I was MAD. She couldn't do that. Rapunzel didn't know better when Gothel said she was joking. I knew. I knew she wasn't joking.

Gothel had Rapunzel sing for her and she looked bright and perky again, she was a lot less scary now. Ugh, she kept putting off Rapunzel. Rapunzel looked at me with a defeated look. I gave her an encouraging nudge and she, she BLURTED it out. Well, at least she did it. Gothel was less than happy though. She tried to tell Rapunzel the same things she tells her EVERY SINGLE DAY. Rapunzel is up to the challenge though, and she gave that woman one heartfelt speech. Not only did Gothel not consent, SHE starts SINGING!

I was shocked to say the least. She starts singing a song that weirdly enough had a tune, but it had words that penetrated deep. Sticks and stones, Gothel, sticks and stones. She starts to almost dance about the tower, SCARING Rapunzel, on PURPOSE. I was mad, as usual, and she ends her horrible song that I cannot, repeat, CANNOT get out of my head, by forcing Rapunzel to promise that she would never ask to leave this tower, again. Rapunzel agreed! Oh, all the shattered hopes she and I felt.

She let down that Gothel and Gothel is, happy. I'm mad at her. When she went away, Rapunzel turned to me and sighed. I gave a weak smile and patted her hand. We tried. We failed.


	3. INTRUDER! He's Going DOWN!

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT Tangled. Thank you, Disney, for making it. I would not be the person I am today. I am mad. Yesterday I played Disney Princess memory with my younger sister of five years and she BEAT ME, 21-13. Please express your sympathy as I am a sore loser. Ha ha ha. **

"Well, so much for that, Pascal," she murmured softly. I patted her again. We both wanted to go SO badly.

She stood up and we started to prepare lunch.

"Pascal, I need my frying pan, can you help me find it?" Rapunzel asked as she started searching the cupboards. I jumped down from a stool and was just about to take a step when Rapunzel and I heard a sound. A scratching sound of some sorts. I looked at my paw that I was about to set down in alarm. What the heck?

"We have to find my frying pan, NOW!" she squealed as she started rummaging through the counters. I hurried about, looking in the icebox and breathed a sigh of relief as I caught sight of it in the sink. I reached in with my tail and managed to pull it onto the counter. Smiling, I squeaked loudly and Rapunzel came running.

"Thanks, buddy!" she said as she rubbed my back. "Quick, hide!" I ran into the shadows as she plastered herself against the wall near the window. She breathed heavily as she held ready the piece of cast iron. I may have started hyperventilating, but you can't prove that!

I held my breath as a dark figure came through the window. That wasn't Gothel, I knew that. The person was about to say something when Rapunzel came forward and as hard as she could, slammed the frying pan at the person's skull. He, (by the looks a He) fell to the ground and Rapunzel ran in terror. She found an old manequin and approached the pervert. I stepped forward and stared at him. She held the frying pan at arm's length, and started breathing heavily as if she was going to freak out. She looked at me with a face saying, "Now what?"

I didn't know, I was as scared as she was, so I, um, shrugged.

Realizing that didn't help, she used the weapon to examine his face. Nearly on the verge of panic, she looked at me again. Looking around, I found a crudely made drawing of a Frankenstein-inspired monster with dangerous fangs. I indicated she should check his teeth as I used my paws to look like teeth and turned dark red. When she checked, I can say we were both relieved, that is, before his eyes shot open. I jumped high into the air as she hit him yet again with the merciless pan and he fell back. She closed her eyes in horror, and opened them slightly as she looked at what she had done.

"Oh, man, this is bad, this is bad, this is very very bad, this is REALLY bad!" she screamed. "There's a guy, in the tower!" She started hyperventilating as she dropped the pan and hugged herself. "There's a guy, in the tower!" she whispered to me. I nodded. "What I am supposed to do with him?" We looked around anxiously.

"The, the, the, closet! I'll stuff him in!" she reassured herself, but stopped as she looked back at me, "But how?"

We stood thinking a moment when we both had one of those 'light bulb moments.'

"My hair!" she laughed. I eagerly ran to her hair and twisted myself around in it. "Right! I'll get him in with my hair!"

She somehow managed to wrap her hair around him and dragged him towards the closet. I watched carefully, she was panting heavily when she finally reached it. "Ohh!" she sighed as she leaned against the closet. She then proceeded to shove him in. She rescued her hair and took his feet and pushed, only to slam him into the closet. She kept trying to get him in and I watched to make sure he didn't wake up. Once when she shoved him in, he fell on her and caused a mini earthquake in the tower. I felt it because I am sensitive, small and on the floor.

I breathed in happiness when she managed to have the door closed and him inside. She gasped as she poked his four digits back into the wardrobe, pulled a chair in front of it and hugged her frying pan. She looked into her mirror.

"Okay, okay, I have a person in my closet," she whispered, fearing if she spoke up her hardwork would be undone. She repeated it again and then again, "I HAVE A _PERSON IN MY CLOSET_!" she laughed and I giggled. She was so happy until she banged herself with the frying pan. I winced. That had to hurt. She and I turned at the exact same time to the bag which he had brought with him. She approached it and pulled out a jeweled thing. It was gorgeous, with its delicate gems ingraved carefully into the bronze grooves.

She was curious, and as was I. She slipped it onto her arm and looked for my opinion. I thought. It was too big to fit on anyone's arm, and it could easily fall off. I shook my head. Heeding my advice, she examined it closely and watched me through it. It had too many things to look through, so, quite certain, I shook my head again. She turned away from me and to the mirror and carefully placed the Thing onto her head. She stood there puzzled for a moment with a confused expression on her face. I was astounded! Maybe that was what is was for! It looked like it fit snug and it looked really pretty, but then, maybe not. I shook my head and a cry came from out of doors.

"Oh, Rapunzel, let down your hey-ar!" Gothel shouted happily from the ground. "Oh!" squeaked Rapunzel as she dropped the crown and bag into a decorative pot. "Hide, Pascal!" she squealed as she raced to the window.

I hid under the closet and prayed that the floor of the wardrobe did not fall through. Rapunzel hauled up Gothel and they started talking about the conversation earlier. Rapunzel was trying to tell Gothel she had a person, in her closet, I realized. Oh, I hope she can do it. I wasn't paying attention and was startled to here an angry Gothel yell, "YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER, EVER!"


	4. Oh, Yeah, We're Bargaining!

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, as much as I like to think that, alas, it is not the truth. *sniff* Okay, this is taking a bit of time to post because J *Flashes her dark glare while she waves at me in ignorance*, my little sister, is watching me 24/7. On the upside, this is the longest chapter!**

At the shrill voice pitched so loudly and angrily, I was shocked. Gothel rarely yelled at her, and never to this extreme. I shrank back as I started to breathe really fast. Rapunzel? Well, she looked like she had been hit in the face with ice cold water and had been told that she could not open the window, which was probably going to be punishment. Poor Rapunzel! I felt for her, she just wanted to escape this, this MADNESS.

Gothel stood with big grey bulging eyes, breathing heavily as she stared at Rapunzel. Once her outburst was over, she fell into a chair and muttered in self-pity, "Oh, great, now _I'M_ the bad guy." You were _always_ the bad guy you piece of-

"All I was going to say Mother, is that," Rapunzel nervously as she stood in front of the closet if almost to shield it. "I know what I want for my birthday now."

"And what is that?" came the irritable voice.

"New paint," she said timidly, "made from the white shells you once brought me?"

Gothel stopped pitying herself enough to look and say, "Well, that is a VERY long trip, Rapunzel, almost three days' time," she complained.

"I just thought that it was a better idea than the, stars," Rapunzel said. Oh, dear. White paint over magical floating lights? Oh, no! I peeked out from under the closet for Gothel's reaction. She didn't get more mad! Amazing! She and Rapunzel kinda made up, did this whole mother-daugther thing between them and Rapunzel packed Gothel a lunch basket. I watched from the ceiling beams as I thought to myself. Why had she made the deal with that Gothel? Did Rapunzel have another plan up her sleeve? Wait, okay, there's Gothel going to get paint and will be gone for three days and there is a person in her closet. Wait, there's a person in her closet? What if? The plan instantly came to me. Oh, good, Gothel's leaving.

I hopped down from the rafters as Rapunzel rushed back into the tower. I watched as she picked up the frying pan, removed the chair, took a deep breath and a few steps backwards, and used her hair to get a grip on the handle of the closet and pulled. With the force of her, the door fell open, and so did the stranger. He fell on his face and unbent on the floor, still unconsicous.

Frankly, to be honest, I stiffled a giggle at the noise he made but Rapunzel was a bit horrified. Once he was still, she crept closer and took a good look around. What was she going to do with him?

"Pascal, I have an idea and I need your opinion," Rapunzel said as she turned to face me on her right. "What do you think of the idea of me tying him to the chair? Once that's done, we'll wake him up and make him take us to see the lights."

It wasn't a _bad_ idea, so I gave her the paws that went back and forth like a scale. "Oh, come on, help me!" she squealed and when she noticed that he moved slightly, she squealed loudly, and thrust her frying pan within an inch of his skull. Realizing he wasn't awake, she sighed in relief and looked at me again.

I paced back and forth and finally stopped and gave her a thumb's up.

Elated for my approval, she used the hair to tie him to the chair, making sure his hands were pretty much rendered useless. With one final glance at her work, she got a better grip on the pan, and managed to scramble up the walls of the tower. I looked around, wondering what I should do.

Once she was balanced on a board, she looked down. I caught her attention and held up my hands in confusion. What should I do?

"Get on his shoulder," she whispered. I gaped. I did! "What?" my face said.

"You'll see, you need to WAKE," she pointed to the prison/chair, "HIM UP."

I threw her a dark look and turned to the task at hand. Remember that strawberry I had this morning? Wish I didn't eat it. My stomach lurched as I crawled closer and tilted my head up. It was like a mountain, it was so TALL! I gulped, spat in my hands, rubbed them together and crawled up the back of the chair, uneasy as I do so. Okay, I was on his shoulder. Progress! I poked him with my tail, and shrank back in a blue heap prepared for a reaction. Nothing. Confidence growing, I slapped him harder and harder but nothing. With a sigh of, 'This is SO wrong,' I did the unbelieveably disgusting: I inserted my tongue into his ear. I must have touched a senstive nerve or, or SOMETHING, because his head shot up making me fly into the air in terror.

I fell into a heap on the stone floor, which surprisingly, didn't hurt that much. I muttered as I stood up and dusted myself off. I watched along with who-knows-what-his-name-is as Rapunzel jumped down from the rafters and wielded the deadly weapon. I ran over to her side and gasped. This guy apparently wasn't listening to her because he was staring at her, like he was hypnotised or something. What the heck was wrong with him?

"Who are you and how did you find ME?" Rapunzel almost whispered in a threatening manner. I stuck my hands on my hips in agreement. Who are you and how DID you find us?

He cleared his throat and said, "I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say, hi?" and he put on the STUPIDEST grin on his face like she was suppposed to be impressed or something. "The name's Flynn Rider, how's your day going?" Well, at least we know his name, if that IS his name, and why are you asking about the weirdest day ever?

Rapunzel looked about as if this was a joke she was supposed to get. She grunted determinedly, practically shoved the pan in his face and asked, "Who else know my location, _Flynn Rider?" _She said it a bit weirdly as she said it for the first time.

"Listen, Blondie," he tried to say, "Rapunzel," she interrupted, "Gesundheit," he said absentmindedly, and then he ranted about something about the tower that didn't make any sense, well, at least it didn't to me. "And, oh no..." he glanced about, "Where is my satchel?"

Rapunzel folded her arms proudly and so did I. "I've hidden it, somewhere you'll NEVER find it."

She stood with a smirk on her happy face while he looked about and casually asked, "It's in that pot, isn't it?" Without a moment of hesitation, she swung the frying pan and the target, which was his head, was hit perfectly. When his head hung limply, she dropped the frying pan and rushed over to the decorative pot. "How did he do that?" she asked me as she gathered up the satchel and stuffed the Thing in it. I shrugged as I climbed up her extended arm. She stood up and we nervously looked about.

"Okay, not my room, I want to keep an eye on this and him," she whispered almost to herself. "The cupboards are obvious, they practically are made for hiding things." She started jumping up and down. "Um, um, um," she bit her lip as she scanned the room. Something caught both of our eyes'.

"Under the staircase?" she murmured as she let me down. I ran over there and peeked through a crack in a random stair. To my surprise, it was hollow. She approached with the satchel and managed to lift the top of it off. "Hmm," she mumbled as she placed the satchel in and snugly put the top back on. She and I sat on it to seal the deal. "That should work," she said confidently as she grabbed her pan. "Now, about waking him back up," she dropped a hint as she fingered the pan nervously. I patted her lap. I'd do it again.

Back on his shoulder, he didn't jerk his head like the first time. He woke up, noticed my tongue in his ear and _then_ jerked his head. I, again, fell onto the floor.

"Would you STOP that?" he said disgustedly as he wiped his ear on his shoulder. I will now, I thought as I wiped my tongue with my paws in attempt to get him off of it.

"_NOW**, **_it's hidden where you'll never find it," Rapunzel said confidently as I climbed her shoulder and she gave me a grin. He gave her a dark look as she walked around him, asking what he wanted with her hair, thereby twisting her hair around the chair. "NO! Listen, the only thing I want to do with your hair, it to get out of it, LITERALLY!" Flynn Rider said as he squirmed in his seat.

"St...wait, you don't want my hair?" Rapunzel asked uncertainly. I too, was far from convinced.

"Why on earth would I want your hair?" he asked exasperatedly. "I was being chased, I saw a tower, I climbed it, end of story."

"You're, you're telling the truth?" she wondered. I myself was skeptical.

"YES!" he almost yelled.

"Hmm," thought Rapunzel as she was about to withdraw the pan from his face, but before she could do that, I quickly crawled down her arm and onto the frying pan. Seating myself on the edge, I peered into his eyes. He looked bewildered, me being two inches from his face, but in his eyes, there was a look of truth.

I motioned for her to withdraw the weapon, but I still stared at him as if to say, "I'm watching you."

Rapunzel walked a few feet away and cupped me in her hands.

Me: I don't know...

Rapunzel: I know, but I need someone to take me!

Me: Okay, he _may _be telling the truth...

Rapunzel: I think he's telling the truth too!

Me: But then again..

Rapunzel: He doesn't have fangs!

Me: I don't know if I like this plan...

Rapunzel: But what choice do I have?

She put up a good argument. I sighed and signaled, "Okay, I approve."

She sighed heavily, let me onto her shoulder, and twisted the hair to point the chair towards her painting that she had been working very hard on.

"Alright, _Flynn Rider_, I prepared to offer you a deal," she said calmly.

"DEAL?" he asked, annoyed.

"Look this way," Rapunzel said as though he did not say that as she pulled sharply on the chair as she climbed up to the mantle. This motion caused the chair to spin, and to the expense of Flynn Rider, caused it to fall and he landed on his face. Ha, there, you deserved that.

"Do you know what these are?" Rapunzel questioned as she pointed to her artwork.

Albeit smooshed, he was able to answer her question, "You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?"

She and I nearly squealed in delight. Lanterns, that was what they were called! Out with the floating lights idea, we're going to go see the lanterns!

Rapunzel held back her excitement as she tried to act professonial. "Well, tomorrow night, they will light the night sky with these _lanterns. You_," she declared as she pointed her pan at him, "will act as my guide, take me to see these lanterns, and bring me home safely, then, and _only then_, will I give your satchel to you. That is my deal."

"Yeah, no can do," he said almost sarcastically as he managed to shift the chair onto his side, "The kingdom and I are exactly 'simpatico'," Rider said with air quotations, "at the moment, so I won't being taking you anywhere," he finished firmly as he declined the well laid out plan.

Rapunzel had no idea what to do in this suitation. She hadn't thought that he'd not agree to go, so she looked at me for help. Well, I thought, this guy was for 1, a jerk, 2, self-centered, and 3, needed to be taught a lesson that he can't always get things his way. So to answer her question, I pounded my fist onto my palm. She looked from me to him, and jumped off the mantle determinedly.

"Something brought you here, _Flynn Rider_, call it what you will, fate, destiny," she said as she drew herself closer to the chair.

"A horse?" he casually interrupted.

"But I have made the decision to trust you," she kept talking.

"A horrible decision, really," Rider sardonically commented.

"But trust _me_ when I tell you this," Rapunzel ordered. She tugged on the chair making it fall forward as she caught it. She looked firmly into his eyes and said, "You can tear this tower apart, _brick by brick_, but without my help, you will NEVER find your precious satchel."

He cleared his throat and tried to confirm the deal. "Let me just get this straight. I take you to see the lanterns, bring you home, and you'll give me back my satchel?"

"I promise," she said, trying to convince him that she did keep promises. He, however, gave her a look, a look I didn't like. "And when I promise something, I never, ever break that promise." He gave her an arched eyebrow. "EVER," I nodded in agreement, she always did keep every single promise she had ever made.

He sighed and looked around and looked back at her. "Look, I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice, here comes the Smolder," and he put on this stupid face, he half closed his eyes and puckered his lips. Rapunzel looked at him a tad uncertain, but then quickly made her face ever more serious. I stared at him like, 'That's the best you've got?'

He gave a little sigh as he said, "This is kind of an off day for me, this doesn't normally happen," and when Rapunzel still gave him her glare, he gave up on his idea, stopped his 'Smolder' and said, albeit relucantly, "Fine! I'll take you to see the lanterns!"

"REALLY?" Rapunzel squealed in delight. I grinned. We were going to go see the lanterns! In her excitement, she let go of the chair which she had been supporting, causing it to fall and having Mr. Smolder cry out in alarm as he fell on his face.

"Oops," she apologized. "You broke my smolder!" he said weakly. I smiled and said, "Good."


	5. Mood Swings

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, even though I do have a plush Pascal who is getting lost in my bed. He hates jerks too. I watched Tangled on Wednesday and we (myself and sisters) got interrupted three times and we had to play it again for a sister who did not see it and put up a fuss. For not watching it for 32 days, you'd think it'd go better. FYI, when Pascal shows how he hates Gothel singing, that is not reflective of my opinion. In my opinion, Mandy Moore and Donna Murphy both have great singing voices and so does everybody else who sang in this film.**

Rapunzel, in order to release Rider, danced about the tower, untying the hair. She and I laughed as she twirled about so very gracefully. He didn't watch her, he just sat there with a poker face and an ugly grimace. When she finally had him unwrapped, he dusted himself and told her to hurry up, (not without first scanning the tower a bit, I might add). He then took the broken sharp thingies he used to climb up the tower and he started to descend the tower. I stuck my tongue out at him for being so impolite.

Rapunzel gathered up her frying pan and scanned the tower to make sure she didn't forget anything. Heck, as long as she didn't forget me, we're golden! She laced her hair onto the hook on the outside of the sill and held onto it for dear life as she and I stared at the world below. She grasped her frying pan all the tighter as she quietly sang. (Okay, just to get this straight, I don't mind Rapunzel breaking out in song, she always has good tune, it's catchy, and she has the most beautiful singing voice. Gothel on the other hand, not so much, just so we have that clear, Rapunzel singing, YAY! Gothel singing, *sticks finger in mouth and gags*).

"_Look at the world, so close and I'm halfway to it. Look at it all so big, do I even dare?_" she questioned as she looked back into the desolate tower. I got hit with something very hard right then: we were going OUTSIDE!

"_Look at me there at last, I just have to do it," _Rapunzel murmured to herself. "Yes, do it!" my little self screamed.

"_Should I? No, here I go!"_ Okay, okay, we're actually doing this! I looked about and noticed a stray string on her dress sleeve. I tied it about my waist for protection and gave her a thumb's up. She giggled and turned to the task at hand. With a little jump, she and I were off the windowsill as we fairly flew through the amazing breeze. Rider noticed us pretty much free-falling and he plastered himself against the wall of the tower in attempt not to get crushed.

The feeling of the wind against her flowing hair, the sweet fresh smell of the outdoors, I asked myself, "Why haven't we done this sooner?" "Gothel," my conscience said. "Shut up, conscience," I muttered.

We were about to reach the bottom when the thrilling fall stopped abruptly! I jerked as I landed against her neck. After standing up, I realized she had stopped because she was about to touch the ground for like the first time ever! Heart pounding, she carefully lowered one foot then the other. Completely in a state of bliss, she stretched herself and threw herself onto the green grass. As she watched a, I think, dandelion, fall apart in the breeze, I took the liberty to jump off of her shoulder and experience the grass myself.

"_Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they'd be,_" she smiled. I did my own little dance as she stood up and experienced the brook.

"_Just feel that summer breeze, the way its calling me,_" Rapunzel sweetly sang as she touched the brook. "_For like the first time ever! I'm completely free!_" Oh my, she found the exit to the valley. I watched as she started running and racing and dancing and chasing and leaping and bounding, hair flying, heart pounding and splashing and reeling and finally feeling...

"_That's when my life, be-gins!_" her melodious voice resounded through the vines she had passed through. Rider had by this time reached the bottom, and he shook his head and held up his hands in confusion. "What's she doing?"

I sighed and gestured with my head for him to follow me. We found her second-guessing herself as she talked aloud to herself.

"I can't believe I did this! I can't believe I did this. I can't believe I DID THIS!" she jumped about in excitement. "Mother would be so furious! Well, she won't be back for another three days or so so we should be back before then because we'll be faster than Mother and she'll be gone for a longer period of time, right?" she eagerly asked Rider. He looked at her unamused and handed her her frying pan.

"Here, you dropped this," Rider said as he held out the pan. As she reached for it, it accidently slipped through his fingers and plopped onto the ground.

"No, you did! You, you dropped," Rapunzel stuttered as she stooped to pick it up. "YOU DROPPED MY FRYING PAN!"

"Okay, geez, I'm sorry," he quickly apologized.

"I can't have this broken or Mother will get mad," Rapunzel explained as she checked the frying pan for wear and tear. Okay, this was bad. I frowned and put my hands on my hips as I watched her stare at him while being three inches away from his face. She gave him a questioningly look and then said brightly, "I forgive you!" and she bounced off into the forest. Rider gave me that look that he had given me when we had been in the valley and we ran after her.

By the time we caught up with her, she was seated on a large rock in the middle of a pond surrounded by liles. She scooped one up and inhaled. Smiling brightly, she comforted herself by saying, "Well, that's okay, what Mother doesn't know won't kill her, right?" I leaned against a rock for breath as Rider watched impatiently. Eventually she stood up and asked which way. He pointed ahead and that is where she ran off to.

"Oh, for the love of Pete," he exclaimed as he and I ran after her. At least she remembered her frying pan this time.

Wow, running across soft grass, beaten paths, smooth rocks, it felt great! Rider sure was a pest to be with, but at least he knew where he was going, so I followed him. We heard the sound of whimpering coming from a nearby cave and we paused to check it. Rapunzel was sitting in a fetal postion, rocking back and forth and whispering quietly to herself, "Oh my gosh! This would _kill her_!" Rider and I watched as she continued to beat herself up. I looked up to see the sun rising high into the sky. I quickly started pointing to it, trying to get her to see that we had to move on.

Her next mood swing happened when we were walking through a clearing and there was a bunch of last-year's leaves strewn about the forest floor. She happily extended her hand and I thankfully took it. After racing after an energetic teen, taking a rest was quite inviting. I snuggled into the back of her neck that bent into her and tied the safety belt around my waist and leaned back and closed my eyes in content, only to be horribly bounced about as she ran out through a pile of dead leaves and happily shouted, "This is SO much fun!" Rider was entertaining himself by examining his fingernails only to be rudely interrupted by a spray of foliage. We both were a tad irritated.

We finally happened about a road of some sorts. I had exited the back of her hair to walk or in my case, to crawl in a hoppy sort of way. Rapunzel was running back and forth between the two sides of the road in earnest and when something caught her eye, she ran after it. Oh, no, here we go again. I climbed into her frying pan as she scaled the top of a large tree. Rapunzel looked about in excitement only to be hit with the thought of an angry mother. She groaned and pasted her head against the side of the tree. She let the pan sway from side to side as she scolded herself, "I. Am a horrible daughter. I'm going back." She slouched and jumped down gracefully from the tree. Rider sighed and we trudged back to the main road.

She did it again! I mean, yes, we're breaking a rule, but it's just an itsy bitsy teeny weeny rule. Gothel will NEVER have to know, but then again, Rapunzel had always been the obedient child and this sort of guilt was not good for her health.

"Be right back!" she laughed as she flung the frying pan at Rider who caught it in one swift motion. We looked at each, he sighed and I scowled at him.

Rapunzel danced about the smooth silky hill and shouted, "I am never going back!" and she rolled down the hill in a childish behavior, and giggled as she twisted up in her fine gold hair. She managed to stand up and bounce back to the road.

"You mind?" she smiled hopefully at Rider. He sighed again (he sighed a lot, what a depressing person) and managed to grip the end of the hair. He stood still and sighed (again with the sighing!) as she twirled about. "Thanks!" she enthusiastically exclaimed as he silently handed her her frying pan without dropping the precious piece of metal. I sighed in relief. I hoped she would stop, for Rider's sake as much as mine.

We had some peace and quiet for a bit. Apparently Rider wasn't much for conversation and Rapunzel and I were too busy gaping to be able to talk. So it was to my and Rider's surprise that suddenly she fell face first into a bunch of flowers off the side of the road. I squeaked as I bounced off of her skull. I straightened up to Rider taking it as a time for a break and Rapunzel saying miserably, "I'm a despicable human being." Actually, she wasn't, compared to SOME people (breaking the fourth wall by facing the camera and pointing to Flynn Rider and me impersonating Gothel).

We traveled on into the forest when Rapunzel found yet another great big king-of-the-forest type tree. She apparently liked those, I didn't mind them either.

"Pascal, come here," she whispered. I followed her as she explained her idea of fun. A bit offended, I quickly shook my head and held my stomach. My body had enough collisions for one morning, thank you very much. She shrugged and strung the massive amount of tresses onto a large hook of a limb. With expertise, she tightened her hold on it, pulled hard and gave a running start. After a couple of her running-around-for-speed laps, she was able to spin around the tree in no time. Rider stood against the tree with a frustrated look on his face and since I had been watching and had gotten very dizzy, I went to lay on a log. I was exhausted, he was irritated and Rapunzel was having mood swings. Perfect.

"Best. Day. Ever!" Really?

She finally stopped and we kept walking...until she finally collapsed in frustration next to a large rock. Her fluffy hair that strangely didn't get very dirty at 'tall lay limply about the rock as she covered her face with her hands and sobbed. I was quite finished being sorry for myself, so I turned to my distressed friend. Oh, dear. She was SO sad. Sobbing, actually. All this commotion and it was only about eleven in the morning, yes, best friend and annoyed traveling guide, this is going to be a very long day!

Rider stiffly walked to her side as she cried into her hands. Bending to her level, he said almost soothingly, "Ya know, I can't help but notice that you're a bit at war with yourself here." Okay, since when did YOU care, huh?

Rapunzel sniffled, turned to him and asked, "What?" I was getting more and more suspicious that he was going to abandon us, so with careful and precise timing, I managed to crawl up the jerk's back and balance on his shoulder.

"Now, I'm only picking up bits and pieces," he explained as he stood up. "Overprotective mother, forbidden road trip, I mean this is serious stuff! But, let me ease your conscience a little. This is part of growing up, a little rebellion, a little adventure, that's good, healthy even!" and upon noticing me, he flicked me off, like an afterthought! NOW my blood was boiling.

Rapunzel brightened a bit as she sniffled and said, "You think?" "What! Why are you listening to him!" I thought/motioned in frustration.

"I know, you're way over-thinking this, trust me! Does your mother deserve it? No, would this break her heart and crush her soul? Of course! But," he sighed a bit too happily, "you just got to do it."

Rapunzel and I were throughly terrified now.

"Break her heart?" the concerned blonde asked.

"In half," the heartless thief replied.

"Crush her soul?" she whispered as she clung onto her hair.

"Like a grape," and to show his emphasis, he happened to find a fruit to destroy.

"You're right, she would be heartbroken," Rapunzel said slowly as if to try to take it all in as Rider helped her to her feet. "What?" I squeaked. Were we to go home because of a panic attack? This was bad, Jerry.

"I'm right, aren't I? Oh, bother," Rider said sorrowfully. I looked at him strangely. He had taken the words out of my mouth the, 'Oh, bother,' part of it, anyway. "All right, I can't believe I'm saying this, but, I'm letting you out of the deal."

"What!" Rapunzel exclaimed in horror.

"That's right, but don't thank me, (we weren't going to), let's just get you home," he answered as I ran up onto a rock next to the kitchen dish. I was ready to attack him when he picked me up 'round the waist, (and squeezed me a bit, he either doesn't know his own strength, or isn't paying attention the chameleon he is currently squeezing the life out of or he's just plain being mean), grabbed the frying pan, and planted me on Rapunzel's shoulder and stuck the cast iron into the crook of her arm and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Here's your pan, here's your frog," Rider said flatly. "I get back my satchel, you get back a mother-daughter relationship based on mutual trust and voila! We part ways as unlikely friends," he smiled at the thought. I looked at him angrily. We can do that after we've seen the lanterns, jerk.

Rapunzel shoved him off quickly, thank goodness! and yelled in his face, "No! I'm going to see those lanterns!" Rider had flung up his hands in surprise and now flung them about as he interrupted, "Oh, come on! What's it going to take to get my satchel back?" To answer his question, she took the frying pan and stuck it in his face. "I will use this," but before any more words could be uttered on either side, a rustling noise came from some shady bushes.

Rapunzel squealed in fear and she flung herself onto Rider as I held onto her for dear life. She gripped his shoulder with one hand to steady herself and used the other hand to point the frying pan at the moving foliage. Rider looked confused at her behavior as she exclaimed, "Is it ruffians, thugs? Have they come for me?" I was scared to death. Ruffians, thugs? Horror upon horror! Gothel had filled our minds with gore-filled stories of ruffians and thugs. I was crippled in fear as I watched Rider. Why were you just standing there, man? For crying out loud, it could be ruffians and thugs! Move!

Rider, however, was as calm as a cucumber. He watched without fear of dismemberment as the approaching object burst forth out of the woods! I held my breath and opened an eye in hope that the merciless beast took pity on us, so it was to my vast surprise that the mind-crippling beast was just a bunny rabbit. Rapunzel and I went limp with relief.

"Stay calm, it can probably smell fear," warned Rider as Rapunzel slipped off of his back. Ha ha, make fun of our fears, eh Rider?

"Sorry! Guess I'm just a bit..." she searched for the right word. "Jumpy!"

Rider thought for a minute as he straightened his vest which Rapunzel had wrinkled when she had jumped on him. "Probably be best to avoid ruffians and thugs though?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel giggled, "that'd probably be best." A slight pause followed then Rider broke the silence with a big smile. "Are you hungry? I know a great place for lunch!" Geez, now he was all smiles, his behavior made my skin crawl.

"Um, where?" Rapunzel really wasn't sure of the question and neither was I.

"Oh, don't worry," he grabbed her hand and started walking, "You'll know it when you smell it!" I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.


	6. Gadzooks, Is This Place Improperly Named

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, though I do have a plush Pascal. Does that count? Please say yes! Sigh, I know, it doesn't. *Sniff***

Okay, this should get interesting, Rider taking us to lunch, and I was being wary of the fact that he, was in fact, a thief. He better not be lying or a smack to the head and a smack in the ear is what we'd give him.

My thoughts were interrupted by us turning a corner and a little house came into view. It was a funny looking house, do all houses look like this? I thought. There was a large tree, oak or maple or whatever it was, that was _leaning _into the strange house. Creepy. There was horses tied with rope to a wooden post and the shutters on the strange house looked broken. The sounds of loud conversation drifted through the air when I noticed a sign that said-

"Ahh, the Snuggly Duckling! (The sign says, 'Ahh'?) Don't worry, quaint place, perfect for you! Wouldn't want you scaring and giving up on this whole endeavour, now do we?" he asked Rapunzel (and I think me). Well, I wasn't _too _scared. I looked at Rapunzel for her reaction.

"Well," she said optimistically, "I DO like ducklings!" She leaned towards him with a smile with her arms wrapped tightly around the iron kitchen weapon.

"YAY!" Rider smiled in return. Okay, he was offically creeping. Me. Out. We walked to the entrance, Rapunzel and I watching everything, from the horses neighing to the eccentric exterior of the said, 'Snuggly Duckling'. To my annoyance, Rider made a big entrance by slamming the door open (is that even possible?) and yelling out loudly, "Garcon, your finest table, please!"

Rapunzel and I nearly died of shock.

In the improperly named tavern, there was big, huge scary ruffians and thugs and, horror upon horror, men with _extremely _pointy teeth, one had flashed his fangs at us and one had stuck out his hook hand, wait, oh my gosh, they have people in here that have hooks for hands! Gothel and I agreed for once. They were dark and dangerous and horrible and more than likely selfish, and wait! The hair! Save the hair! Rapunzel quickly shrieked and thrust out her frying pan in horror. Flynn grabbed her shoulders and led her among the staring, menacing men.

"You smell that? Take a deep breath right through the nose," and he breathed deeply, I wouldn't have done that if I were him, this place has an awful stench that has a powerful smell, I couldn't describe it. The climax of this awful place was on their counter and pots. I nearly barfed as I saw dead chameleons lying limply in goo. In pots stirred with a oar and in jars being pickled, there was dead chameleons. The cook gave me a funny look and I eagerly slipped behind my one protecter's hair and gagged.

"Really let that seep in, what are you getting? Because to me, that's part bad man smell and the other part is REALLY bad man smell! Overall, it just smells like the color brown, your thoughts?" he asked eagerly. Yeah, that's what it smelled like.

A short but creepy looking thug grabbed her hair and she instantly grabbed the remainder of her long locks, and shrieked again as she dragged it away and I promptly turned purple.

"That's a lot of hair," the man said slowly, as if he was thinking about it as it slipped from his fingers.

"She's growing it out," Rider said as calm and cool as a cucumber (how could he be so calm! How?) as he peered into the face of the thug.

"Is that blood in your mustache? Goldie, look at all the blood in his mustache! Good sir, THAT is A LOT of BLOOD!" he emphasized. Rapunzel was so scared, she bumped into a large giant of a man who growled and, frying pan still pointing, Rider walked over to her and said sympathetically, "Hey, you don't look so good, Blondie. Maybe we should get you home, call it a day?" I was more than ready now, the tower was certainly lonely with just us but better be lonely than dead! He carefully parted the sea of men and walked her (and me) to that beautiful, glorious exit.

"Probably be better off," he continued, "this IS a five-star joint after all and if you can't handle this place, well, maybe you should be back in your tower-" he started to open the door when the largest thug of them all easily closed it with one large hand and said gruffly, "Is this you?"

The three of us turned to a poster that we had seen plenty of in the forest. It was of our guide, with a funny looking nose, I mean, it looked _just _like him. Rider moved one of the sausages attached to the guy's hand and commented sadly, "Oh, now they're just being mean."

"Oh, it's him alright!" the guy I named Hook Hand (for obvious reasons) yelled as he grabbed and held up Rider with his hook hand, Rapunzel holding onto Rider's back for dear life. "Greno!" (a thug nodded), "go find some guards! That reward's goin' ta buy me a new hwook!" A thug with a tattoo of a cupcake (a cupcake?) grabbed Rider and yelled, "What about me? I could use the money!" and then the largest thug who's name was Vladimir (I found that out later, you'll see how), grabbed him and _he _yelled, "What about me? I'm broke!" The unmerciful thugs' clamour grew louder as they fought over the thief and who would get the reward.

"Please, stop!" Rapunzel shouted over the men. I don't think 'please stop' will work, I thought miserably.

"We can work this out!" I heard Rider's voice above the hubbub.

"Give me back my guide! Ruffians!" Rapunzel shouted as she started hitting the men with her frying pan. She was horrified to find that none of them fell to the ground in pain. I unsteadily walked to her shoulder and she gave me a pained look. I put a hand to my mouth to avoid getting sick and pointed to the hair before going back to my hiding place. This place was a place of death and no sanitation. Without Rider, we were going to die in this hell-hole. Gag.

She thought quickly on the spot and flung the end of her long tresses onto a large branch. The ruffians and thugs had Rider in a position for Hook Hand to punch the senses out of him, she had to work quickly. She pulled back the branch and when she had it against the roof, she let go, causing the huge limb to hit the head of Hook Hand, who was about to smash Rider's nose and sent me hurling from her shoulder onto a beer barrel.

I heard my brave companion yell, "PUT HIM DOWN!" and then I stopped listening. Ack, I bruised my back a bit, I think. I stood up carefully to survey the area and cracked my back in the meantime. I slowly looked around: We're in trouble. Rider was stuck on a wall, watching with his mouth gaping, as Hook Hand was stumping toward Rapunzel with a large sharp axe. The frying pan was forgotten as the guy got within inches of her face that was about to be slew about the room, I can't watched. I instantly covered my eyes, but I carefully peeked through my scaly fingers (I have a tendency to do that sometimes), waiting for a scream to overpower my dear Rapunzel's body, when! The large man looked away from her panting self and said rather solemnly and heartfeltly, "I had a dream, once," and with that, he threw the medieval axe across the room, barely missing the head of an unfortunate lad who nervously starting playing his accordion.

You can imagine my disgust and surprise when this villainous creatures, these cruel and merciless evildoers STARTED SINGING! Oh. My. Gosh. Hook Hand with a low rumbling voice, starting singing, "_I'm malicious, mean and scary, my sneer could curdle dairy, and violence-wise my hands are not the cleanest." I _could have told you that and I first saw him, what, five minutes ago?

"_But despite my evil look, and my temper and my hoookkkk!"_ he continued as he flung an unsuspecting thug out of his way with his bloody hook and seated himself on the piano bench. "_I've always yearned to be a concert pianist!"_

You have got to be kidding me.

Him, a big, ugly and filthy ruffian, wanted to be a MUSICIAN? That's a new one. I mean, seriously, the dream that Rapunzel and I share is even more plausible than him getting to be a performer! I never said he was bad, mind you, he's actually very good, (at playing the piano, not being a friendly person) but he, um, just doesn't appear to be the musician type.

Oh, great, all of the other thugs are going up and down and up and down and up and down singing the stupidest lyrics! "_Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na,n, naaaaa!" _Another thug pointed out to Rapunzel, the picture of health, all of the things that stood out on his skin and bled and that only made me love the Snuggly Duckling oh so much more! He was telling Rapunzel how he wanted true love (who doesn't?) and she's enchanted. I mean, throughout the WHOLE song with practically EVERY SINGLE PERSON telling her their dreams, she's extremely charmed. She smile with pure sincerity when Big Nose wrapped her in a hug with a drunkard, she clapped for a florist, she beamed with delight when Atilla (the one with the cupcake tattoo) presented her with freshly iced goodies (cupcakes, figures), and she squealed with laughter at a puppet show, oh, and guess what? Old meanie giant over there named Vladimir, he collects not axes or shields, but little tiny dainty ceramic unicorns. Um, say what?

Rider was about the only person in the room that wasn't dancing or singing (or animal for that matter, there was rats that were kinda creeping me out that were bobbing up and down next to me). He wore an expression of pure annoyance at the once-scary people who were going to hand him over for a handsome sum who were currently acting like children!

Wait, wait, wait, why did the music just stop? I watched with a bit of amusement when all the thugs gathered around Rider and Hook Hand asked, "What about you?"

"I'm sorry, me?" Rider asked casually.

"What's your dream?" questioned Big Nose as he plucked Rider off of the rough wall.

"Sorry boys," Rider said, "I don't sing." Those unthought-through words caused several swords to be in position to strike inches from his neck.

So _then_, he jumps on the bar and does the FUNNIEST little dance! I laughed and rolled around on the lid of the barrel, roaring my brains out. The rats that had acted so funny watched me like I was nuts and I just laughed. Maybe these guys weren't so bad after all.

Rider starts singing about his dream, a dream that includes the following: One island, filled with money, piles of it, and him, tanned and rested and alone. Figures, at least his dream made sense. Rapunzel immediately followed him, singing in a melodious voice of how she wants to see the floating lanterns and she was met with several cheers, and after that, well, things got crazy.

The thugs had a cupid dude strapped to a dart board and several axes that were thrown dangerously close to him. One of the funny brutes put a sick-looking Rider on a loose board on the ground and he was shot through the air, landing upside down on the head of Vladimir who threw him on a barrel that another thug sent rolling through a gauntlet of the customers throwing lit torches! I laughed again when Rider gave me an angry look.

"_I've got a dream, I've got a dream, I've got a dream, _(a thug flew through a window and Ulf the Mime creeped Rider out again), _I've got a dream, I've got a dream-" "I've got a dream!" _Rapunzel joined in, and they all gathered in the center of the tavern and sang loudly and clearly, "_Yes, way down deep inside, I've got a dddrrreeeaaammm! YEAH!" _they finished as Rapunzel held out her arms and caught Shorty the Cupid and she giggled in delight.

We were having so much fun that we all felt like we had been hit with a pail of cold water when the thug Hook Hand had sent out earlier for the 'guards' as he called them, Greno, came crashing through the door and, unaware of the friendship we had established, shouted, "I found the guards!"

We all stood still in shock for a moment, that is, everyone 'cept Rider. He quickly caught Rapunzel's hand, shoved off Shorty and dragged her underneath the counter. She gasped and grabbed me from the barrel and plopped me on her shoulder. We heard heavy footsteps as a voice rang out, "Where's Rider? Where is he? Find him, turn this place upside-down if you have to!" and a fist slammed against the ceiling of our hideout. Rider carefully looked over the side of the counter and shrank back in panic. I don't know what he saw, but if it freaked him out, it freaked Rapunzel and I out too.

The three of us were about to start hyperventilating when a hook appeared by us. We looked up to see Hook Hand give us directions with his eyes to follow him. Rider and Rapunzel met him on the floor of the area behind the counter and the boards instantly fell down, revealing a secret passage. I heard heroic music in the background, but I shrugged it off, weirder things had happened.

"Go, live your dream," the tough looking man said softly as we gazed on into the hole.

"I will," Rider said as if he was on auto-pilot.

"Your dream stinks," Hook Hand scoffed, "I was talking to her." Despite all the dangerous things happening, Rapunzel and I couldn't stiffle a giggle as Rider rolled his eyes in annoyance and slowly made his way down the slope.

"Thanks for everything," Rapunzel smiled as she gave Hook Hand a quick kiss on the cheek and, frying pan held tightly against her dress, inched her way down. I looked back once and saw Hook Hand with a kind smile on his face as the secret hideaway's door lifted back up.

Once we were on flat ground again, we started walking at a leisurely pace, quite certain we'd be safe now. Rider grabbed a lit lantern (an ordinary lantern, sigh...) off of the wall and we traversed further into the cave. The walls were rocky, and covered with dirt, I know that because I sneezed. Rapunzel giggled and handed me a bit of lace for my nose. The quietness was kind to us at first, no thundering footsteps or loud voices making us nervous, but then it got awkward, at least for Rider it seemed. Rapunzel and I were waiting for something to happen, anything really.

"Well, I've got to say, didn't know you had it in you back there," Rider was saying as I stopped thinking and started listening. "That was sort of impressive-"

"I know!" Rapunzel squealed and I giggled at her enthusiasm. Realizing she was being too eager, she smiled casually, stuck her hands that were holding her frying pan behind her back and said, "I know." I nuzzled the side of my head against her neck. I love my Punzie.

Rider gave her a look like he wasn't sure of how to react, but I'm pretty sure he was hiding a smile behind it.

"Sooo, Flynn, where's ya from?" Rapunzel asked casually, trying to make conversation.

"Whoa, ho ho! Sorry, Blondie, I don't do backstory. However, I'm becoming VERY interested in yours. Now, I, I know I'm not supposed to mention the hair," he counted off of his finger.

"Nope."

"Or the mother-"

"Nu-uh."

"Frankly, I'm too scared to ask about the frog-" Oh, did he make my blood boil, calling me, ME, a frog.

"Chameleon!" Rapunzel reminded him as she nudged me. Thank you, Rapunzel.

"Nuance," he counteracted. "BUT, here's my question though," he stopped to turn to Rapunzel, "if you want to see the lanterns so badly, why haven't you gone before?" I could tell that he asked because he actually wanted to know. He didn't want to break the ice, he actually wanted an answer. Strange.

"Well, um," Rapunzel bit her lip as she turned to me. Gosh, we couldn't tell him it was because of the hair, I mean, he's a thief, albeit now becoming a not so arrogant thief, but a thief nontheless, also there's the fact he's a guy, a stranger, a criminal-

Wait, wait, wait, was that ROCK falling from the sturdy ceiling? Rider, Rapunzel and I stared in disbelief as the fragments started jumping slightly, and the walls started to tremble, and Rapunzel called nervously, "Flynn? Flynn!" and my worse concerns were confirmed.

"RIDER!"

We were being followed.


	7. Fleeing Death

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, though I'm making stores and companies rich because I have boughten many, many Tangled items. Now, I haven't been typing on this story lately because I haven't been inspired, (and you're like, "But you have the whole story line already!") BUT, I had two strokes of inspiration recently. A couple of days ago, I gathered inspiration from Tangled, but also from also an unexpected source: Walmart. At the store, there was SIX TVs all playing Tangled! Three were within seconds of each other, one was way ahead, one was on bonus features and one was playing with sound. I watched and was inspired furthermore because yesterday I made Rapunzel and Pascal a two story bedroom/house. And, yes, I know, this isn't focused so much on Pascal, but it all happened in, what, three minutes? Okay, sorry for rambling...**

I gasped in horror. Running like a herd of horses, stampeding towards us was the men that we had been hiding from in the Snuggly Duckling. We stood in shock a moment before Rider found his voice and yelled, "Run!" With a gasp, Rapunzel ran, grasping a load of hair behind her. Rider grabbed the ends and ran and I held on for dear life on the back of her neck.

We soon found the light at the end of the tunnel, approaching feet urging us on. Turns out that the tunnel had been incoroporated into the design of a large dam! Next to us on the cliff was a wheel, turning by the power of water while some of the H2O dripped out the sides. The three of us examined the land hurriedly. Ahead of us there was two tunnels, we instantly all turned to the one on the right. It looked nice and safe, but the tunnel next to us filled our hearts with fear.

It had been boarded up but the wooden boards instantly broke as out popped out two burly men with swords. They both were large and had red hair, one of them had sideburns coming in and the other had an eye patch over his eye. They both glared at us with a look filled with revenge that made the three of us gulp.

"Who's that?" Rapunzel nervously questioned Rider. I was covering my mouth in anticipation. _I don't want to die, _I groaned to myself miserably.

"They don't like me," Rider quickly answered. Thank you, for stating the obvious.

Rapunzel, Rider and I turned to where we had exited. In the entrance of the tunnel was the men in red with their swords in their sheaths. Their helmets gleamed evilly in the sunlight as they approached us.

"Who's that?" Rapunzel repeated. I held onto her for dear life. _Please don't let us die, please don't let us die, _I prayed hopefully.

"They don't like me either," he repeated again. Out from behind the scary men came forth a large animal. He was extremely white with brown straps attached to him. Sweat poured down him as he glared at Rider with much annoyance in his eyes.

"Who's that?" Rapunzel asked again. Oh, they don't like him, please accept that!

Rider gave an annoyed look at her and looked at her straight in the eye. "Let's just assume that at the moment everyone here doesn't like me!" he waved his arms in emphasis.

Rapunzel wasn't used to being treated like that, so she on purpose flung the frying pan at Rider and gathered up her blonde locks.

"Here!" she yelled as she threw a twisted bit of hair around a branch. Rider gave her a look as she tightened her grip and launched herself from the cliff onto another cliff several feet away. I gulped as she swung across carefully and landed gently on the cliff.

"Huh!" she sighed to herself in relief. She gave me a smile before she looked back at Rider and we both let out a gasp. Rider had knocked out the entire group of 'guards', as they are apparently called, and was now fighting the beast with Rapunzel's frying pan.

Rapunzel and I watched in awe as the two fought, a kitchen tool vs. a sharp steel blade. Wonderful, they were so very evenly matched. The horse grunted and with one swift motion, knocked the pan out of Rider's surprised hands, launching it into the air and we all paused for a moment until we heard the faint _clank_! of it hitting the bottom. The horse grunted again and went at Rider's throat. Rider held up his hands in defeat and asked weakly, "How 'bout two outta three?" The horse was too annoyed for a rematch.

Rapunzel sensed danger, (well, more than there had been two minutes ago) and without hesitation, grabbed a handful of hair and threw it out to the man.

"Flynn!" she called desperately. I slumped in relief when he caught it and swung out under the cliff we were currently standing upon. Rapunzel had the tension on an old board sticking out and groaned at the weight. My eyes widened as she yelled, "Flynn, look out!"

The two menacing men with red hair were running toward the swinging Rider with swords in hand, ready to attack. I covered my eyes but peeked through the green digits to see Rider narrowly avoid them.

"Ha!" Rider gloated victoriously. "You should have seen your faces, because you look-" his boastful speech was abruptly interrupted when he slammed into an open board. "Ridiculous."

Rapunzel and I shuddered. That HAD to hurt, I mean, you just got knocked into a large, sharp board extending out of a dirt, um, thingie, and that just added to the stress of the suitation.

Oh, no, I heard a noise behind us. Rapunzel and I carefully turned to see what had made that loud racket. The vengeful horse had butted his large noggin into a loosened board and managed to knock it down. With stealth precision, he crossed it without nary taking the time to watch where he was going. No, his eyes were, *gulp* pointed at us.

"Blondie!" a voice called. We turned to see Rider had managed to climb up the board and was currently holding the rope of hair determinedly. "Jump!" he urged.

Rapunzel and I needed no encouragement. With one leap, we floated down the edge of the cliff. The horse had reached were we had just been and reached out desperately for her hair only for his chances to be ripped away as the last golden hairs fell out of reach. I could see the whites of his teeth as he clenched them in rage.

I turned my attention to the matter at hand, the free-falling-the-only-thing-keeping-me-from-dying-is-seventy-feet-of-hair-matter. I wrapped my paws in her puffy sleeve as the cool wind rushed past us. She landed lightly on some water that had dripped from the pipe above us. She and I turned to see the red-haired men charging at us with no signs of stopping. We started racing away as Rider slide neatly down from the pipe. The two gathered up several yards of hair as started running.

I turned and gasped in horror. Oh no. That, that STUPID horse, had knocked out an important beam that was supporting dam. With it gone, the dam slowly but surely busted through, causing hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to burst forth. The guards had awakened and were standing with the horse when the water washed over them. The rushing waves engulfed the running figures of the evil men chasing us and it was about to eat us up!

My friend and nemesis just happened to notice the giant flood coming towards us and they raced on. The water crashed against a large dirty rock thing, causing it to fall from the weight of the pushing and shoving waves.

The two gave one last burst of energy and dashed into the nearest tunnel. Rapunzel and I bolted to the side of the tunnel as Rider rescued the floating-towards-us frying pan, to lose such a companion would be a terrible blow.

The falling island thing had crashed right in front of the entrance of the tunnel, cutting off the exit. Water seeped through the corners that were not filled in with rock, causing the level of the liquid to rise. We all gave a look of freaking out as we reached higher ground in the cave, but to our horror, it was only a few feet taller. The water reached the tops of Rider and Rapunzel's knees in just a few seconds.

I carefully crawled off Rapunzel's shoulder and surveyed the mess we were in. Rider dove into the deep water to try to search for an exit while Rapunzel tried to chip at the rocks with her frying pan. Oh, my gosh. The water was closing in fast, rushing in life-engulfing speeds. I looked about worriedly. How were we supposed to get out?

Rider gasped for air and knocked about the walls, looking for any cracks. The guy must have been not looking where his hand had been because the palm had scratched against a rock, causing a large gash to appear on his hand. Rapunzel and I cringed at the sight. Blood. Gulp.

He dove in again and quickly rose up again.

"It's no use; I can't see anything," he said defeatedly. Rapunzel got a determined look on her face and before I could stop her, she went and dived into the swirling depths. I could have hugged Rider for he immediately brought her back up.

"Hey," he said quietly. "There's no point. It's pitch black down there." He tucked a bit of her stray soaked hair behind her eye and she looked at him in shock. I gasped in horror. No words were needed to be spoken.

We were going to die.

Rapunzel and I would never see the lanterns, never fulfill our dream. No more life in the secluded tower that looked so enchanting right now. We would never see the light of day, never say goodbye to that Gothel, who's voice saying, "You. Are. Not. Leaving. This. Tower. Ever!" resounded guiltily in my ears. I hung my head in shame. We should never have done this.

"She was right, I never should have done this," echoed Rapunzel tearfully. She sighed and started sobbing. "I'm so, so sorry, Flynn." I sighed in defeat. I was sorry too, to have come along with these people, two people who just wanted the world. While Rapunzel had just wanted to explore, Rider actually wanted the world, the thief. Those guards probably wanted to kill him, this death cave would be doing their job. That's probably what they'd call this place after this, Death Cave, when they'll find two human skeletons and a mini skeleton, wondering who had died here.

Rider sighed, feeling guilty, and uttered one word.

"Eugene."

I gulped in surprise. What was he talking about? I crawled over towards him in plain curiousiness.

"What?" Rapunzel asked curiously. What WAS he talking about?

He sighed, beat, and repeated quietly, "My real name is Eugene Fitzherbert. Someone might as well know." He chuckled as he cradled his cut hand. Wait, Flynn Rider isn't your real name? Well, I feel a tad sheepish, thieves probably changed their names all the time. To have been deceived like that made me feel a bit mad at the man.

Rapunzel gave a little laugh and I stiffled a little chuckle. True, it was a funny name!

Rapunzel wiped her nose and smiled sadly, "I have magic hair that glows when I sing!" Wait, she just told him about the hair! But, wait, why do I care? We're all going to die, sadly, so, heck, she might as well.

"What?" Rider asked in alarm.

Rapunzel thought a second before she replied excitedly, "I have, magic hair, that glows when I sing!" The water level increased at an alarming rate. I frantically crawled closer to the ceiling. Rapunzel nodded at Rider, er, _Fitzherbert,_ to stick out his neck for just one more second as she rapidly sang, "_Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine!" _She and _Fitzherbert _gulped in panic as the air was finally pushed out of the cave. I intook a deep breath as the water filled the space.

We floated in darkness for a second when Rapunzel's weak attempt at a second chance at life broke into action. Her swirling hair broke out into golden shiny light, illuminating the cave to the point that I could make out a freaked out expression from _Fitzherbert_. Our eyes looked about and noticed a little hole that water was slowly dripping out of. Rapunzel and _Fitzherbert_ gave a shrug and we swam towards it.

_Fitzherbert_ was able to pull out several rocks before the light died down, leaving us in pure black. He finally pulled out an important rock and the wall of stones broke, causing us all to be thrown violently into a river.

The three of us crawled safely out of the river onto the bank. We coughed and choked as I released ounces and ounces of water out of my small throat. I smiled weakly. We. Were. Alive!

Rapunzel wiped some hair out of her face as she said loudly, "We're alive." _Fitzherbert _had been resting his head in his hands and now removed his hands to reveal a face that portrayed pure shock.

"Her hair glows!" he gasped to himself. Rapunzel stretched and stood up excitedly, rushing to gather the large amount of her hair that was lying on the bank. "I'm alive!" she squealed excitedly.

"I didn't see that coming," he sighed as he pushed the hair out of his face.

"Eugene," Rapunzel said gently. Oh, great, now she was calling him Eugene, great. Well, I keep calling him _Fitzherbert_, oh, geez! _Fitzherbert_ sounded so weird! I'll have to ask Rapunzel if I can just keep calling him Rider, it sounded WAY better.

"Her hair actually glows," he exclaimed. I just noticed that he was talking to me, and he wasn't even trying to swat me or anything. I nodded in reply. Yes, yes it did.

"Eugene," Rapunzel repeated urgently.

"Why does her hair glow?" he yelled at me. I shrank back in panic and shrugged. I really didn't have a clue as to the fact of why her hair glows!

"Eugene!" Rapunzel shouted at him as she wrung out a load of locks.

"WHAT!" he asked hurriedly. He was SOOO panicking, I didn't even know why he was panicking.

Rapunzel smiled kindly as she looked on at his injuried hand. He was holding it with his other hand, protecting it. "It doesn't just glow."

Those four words made me smile broadly. This guy hasn't seen ANYTHING yet. I turned to see his horrified face. He glanced at me and whispered to Rapunzel worriedly, "Why is he smiling at me?"


	8. Confessing, Campfire and Scary Mother

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, though I certainly wish I did. Guess what I got in the mail yesterday? My source of inspiration, a plush Maximus! UGHH! I love him to death! (I think I'm squeezing the life out of him, the poor guy!) And now, I'm carrying him and my plushie Pascal around, being a little kid again was never so much fun, I mean, it's Tangled and stuffed animals all rolled into one! How great is that? Really great! And I want to thankie all of my reviewers, you all rock SSOOO much! Every review is like a Tangled hug, you all make me feel appreciated. Okay, story time. Once upon a time...**

As I helped Rapunzel wring out as much of the dirty river water out of her hair as we could, I kept glancing back at Fitzherbert, (okay, his name isn't SO bad, I think I was exaggerating a bit). He was currently wringing the water of his hair and he kept shooting us weird looks. I stuck my tongue out at him and he instantly glanced away.

When we were finally finished, Fitzherbert nervously told us to follow him, and he led us to a clearing where he motioned to a tree root that was sticking out for her and I to sit down on. Rapunzel smoothed out her hair as when he found some firewood and I stood, alert, waiting for the slightest action of his for me to leap on him. Fortunately, he didn't do anything out of the ordinary, but I still watched him.

We finally finished with her hair and he lit a fire using a sharp rock against another one. Rapunzel searched the bank and we found the frying pan. She let it fall down next to the tree root we had to sit on and she quietly sat down. The sun had set and the fire poised a lovely light around the camp. The whole place was about to become a lot brighter when Rapunzel said to him quietly, "Give me your hand."

He awkwardly held out his hand and she instantly fell upon, winding her hair loosely around his hand.

"So," he said when he realized that an awkward silence was about to insue, "You're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injuried hand." Her hair must have rubbed the wrong way against the deep gash in his hand because he grimaced painfully.

"Sorry!" Rapunzel quickly said. She sighed as she said, "Just, don't, don't, freak out." And he gave her this look, this _priceless _look that I could read like a book. It said, 'Should I have a reason to freak out?'

Rapunzel sighed again as she bowed her head and sang so very softly and sweetly, "_Flower, gleam, and glow, let your power shine," _and when those magic words formed on her lips, the most wonderful thing happened. I'd seen her hair do this thousands of times, but it never ceased to amaze me. That magic song somehow woke up her hair, causing it to shine magically as the magic poured through from her scalp on through to the ends. I smiled in satisfaction and smiled still bigger when I noticed the expression on Fitzherbert.

His eyes had widened very quickly as he watched the hair glow. He had had his other hand resting on the log we had been sitting on and he quickly removed it as the hair it had been resting on started to shine.

_"Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine,_" Rapunzel crooned gently as she carefully held up the hair wrapped hand. He looked at me like, "What's happening?" I smiled and pointed to my paw with one of my digits, indicating he should probably check out his hand. His eyes widened even more as the swirling golden hair glowed around his hand.

"_Heal what has been hurt, change the fate's design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine," _she added tenderly. The power of the hair surged through into his hand and Fitzherbert looked at me again, completely bewildered. I nodded in a knowing sort of way. I had watched this guy for the past ten hours, and I'm pretty sure he won't act calmly to this suitation.

"_What once was mine," _she finished. She tipped her head to be able to see his face as he gulped and carefully undid the hair from around his hand. He stared, horrified, at his palm and turned it for us to see, completely healed. He turned it back to him as he started to heavily breath. The screams inside his mouth were about to burst out when Rapunzel held out her hands in protest.

"Please don't freak out!" she pleaded. He looked at her, about to freak out; her green eyes asked him to not freak out. I, during this whole process, was very calm, probably the calmest out of all of us right now. I ran up to Rapunzel's ankle and watched as he managed to say, "Freaking-out-oh-I'm-not-freaking-out-are-you-freaking-out-no-I'm-just-very-interested-in-your-hair-and-the-magical-qualities-that-it-possesses-how-long-has-it-been-doing-that-exactly?" He weakly smiled.

Rapunzel and I gave a little smile to his outburst as she replied uncertainly, "Forever, I guess?" She sighed and continued, "Mother said that when I was a baby, people tried to cut it, they wanted to take it for themselves." I had been leaning against her ankle when she said this and I quickly stood up and I was about to give her a look that said, "What are you doing?" but I first glanced at Fitzherbert, who had calmed quite a bit. He didn't have a greedy look in his eyes now that he knew about the hair, he actually looked quite sympathetic. My face broke into a tiny smile as I shrugged and snuggled against her petite foot.

"But once it's cut, it turns brown and loses its power," she explained. She pulled back her blonde hair to reveal a lock of hair, a few inches long, that was a deep brown. "A gift like that," she continued as she stroked a lock of blonde hair, "it has to be protected. That's why Mother never let me," she sighed, "that's why I never left, and, hmm," she sighed again as she looked at the ground. This was the answer to the question he was asking earlier, all she needed to do was say that Gothel was a person who liked her daughter's hair safe, I thought.

"...You never left that tower?" guessed Fitzherbert gently, (that'd work). Rapunzel gave a little nod as he continued, "and you're still going to go back?" No! I thought. Though I hated to admit it, this whole adventure, from the mood swings to the breaking out into song with thugs to being chased by men in red, I've actually had a bit of fun. The tower, on the other hand...

"NO!" shrieked Rapunzel quickly. She suddenly squeaked, albeit relucantly, "Yes," and buried her head in her palms. "It's complicated," we managed to hear from beneath the head of hair.

Why would she want to go back? I thought. Oh, crap, I smacked myself on my forehead. Gothel. That woman had constructed gory stories about people, people who wanted her hair, who sounded just like the Pub Thugs, but, wait, they were nice. Why did Gothel lie about people like that? I nudged Rapunzel's foot once more, reminding her I was still here for her. She looked so pathetic.

Fitzherbert was staring at her, wondering when her face would emerge. Her eyes looked between her fingers to see that he was watching her every move. She sighed and lifted her head out of her hair and started to play with it. Seeing how an awkward silence was coming around fast, she said slowly, "So, Eugene Fitzherbert, huh?" Aww, I somehow knew we'd find out more about that. I turned to Fitzherbert who scoffed softly as he said, "Ahh, well, I'll spare you the story of poor orphan Eugene Fitzherbert. It's a bit of a, well, it's a bit of a downer," he finished lamely. This last sentence only peaked curiousity inside Rapunzel, and she scooted over a bit closer to him and propped her head up in her hands. He gave a little chuckle at her antics.

Wow, that's the first time I had heard him laugh, I thought. Does he really think that Rapunzel is humorous?

He starting explaining to Rapunzel about the origins of the famous criminal, Flynn Rider. I didn't really catch all of it, but it included a book and a hero of some sorts. Rapunzel smiled warmly at him as he continued, saying that he just wanted to be like the hero, he finished sadly as he gazed into the fire's flames.

He returned to his thief mode as he quickly asked Rapunzel, "You can't tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation."

Rapunzel smiled mischievously as she cocked her head to one side as she answered, "Ahh, we wouldn't want that."

"A fake reputation is all a man has," the thief smiled as he cocked his head next to her's. They started giggling a bit, causing me to start to giggle too. Rapunzel's giggle was so contagious; she always started the giggling and always ended it; this was no exception. She finished with a well-meaning smile as she gazed back up at him. They looked at each other like that for a minute, causing my mouth to gape. Why were they doing that? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, causing me to crack a little smile.

They _liked_ each other.

Gosh, they _liked _each other. Rapunzel liking him, for some reason that made complete and utter sense, but, but, but, did he actually _like _her? Like, _like _her like her? I was a bit taken back by this option and shrugged it off. I'll be watching them tomorrow, I thought to myself. I smirked to myself, however, and laughed. They _liked _each other.

Fitzherbert broke the stare between them by saying, "Well, I'm going to get some more firewood." When he rose to leave, Rapunzel called after him, "Hey," causing him to turn to her. "For the record, I like Eugene Fitzherbert much better than Flynn Rider," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around her knees. I crawled up onto the log as the thief smiled, and looked at his healed hand, touched, and smiled back at her. "You'd be the first, but, thank you." He turned back and disappeared into the fog.

Rapunzel smiled broadly to herself as I patted her hand that was sitting on the log. She didn't even notice.

Her happy grin broke into a surprised gasp as a voice from behind her spoke sneakingly, "Well! I thought he'd never leave!" The voice made me freeze in horror. Oh no. I recognize that voice. Rapunzel and I turned to face the person.

"Mother?"

That word made me cringe. Rapunzel was right, this figure before us, this person with greying streaks in her hair and wrinkles that were increasing in size and number at a most alarmingly pace, was indeed, Mother Gothel.

"Hello, dear," she answered innocently, yet coldly.

I quickly glanced at the log. Black, a bit of brown, not to hard to replicate. I instantly changed into the color of the tree as Gothel swept Rapunzel into an affectionate hug and Rapunzel stuttered, "How did you find me?"

"Oh, it was easy, really," Gothel said sweetly as she stroked Rapunzel's golden hair. "I just listened for the sound of complete and _utter_ betrayal and followed that."

Rapunzel crumpled a little in guilt. "Mother, I-"

Gothel quickly broke the hug, "We're going home, Rapunzel, NOW," and she started to drag her away. Rapunzel gave me the quickest think-of-something-quick! look she had ever given me before she said, "Mother, wait! You don't understand!" and she broke Gothel's hold on her wrist. "I've been on the most _incredible _journey, and I've seen and heard so much." She paused a moment before she smiled and continued, "I've even met someone."

"Oh, the wanted thief, I'm so proud! Come on, Rapunzel," she quickly replied, reaching to grab her hand. Oh, I was burning inside. Gothel was being so mean, to Rapunzel and Fitzherbert, though he kinda deserved it and was probably used to it, BUT still, she made me SO MAD.

"Mother, wait! I think," Rapunzel paused. She continued slowly, as if she was reassurring herself, "I think he likes me!" Whoa! My suspicions are now confirmed! She likes Eugene Fitzherbert! Though she didn't actually say that, she was implying it!

"Likes you? Please, Rapunzel, that's demented!" Gothel squealed. Those words echoed in my brain as my inner pot boiled over. How dare she call Rapunzel demented! I mean, the fiend! And why wouldn't he like her, explain that, Gothel! I thought angrily. He actually might like her!

And that was just the beginning.

I think you've all noticed one of my pet peeves here, right? People starting to break out into song, annoys me to no end! (I love Rapunzel even more when she sings though, and now that I think about it, I kinda liked the Pub song, it _was _sorta, kinda, well, catchy,) but, but that's not the point! Gothel. Is. Now. Singing.

She starts singing and I swear I'm going to go stick my tongue in her wrinkly ear, the way she tells Rapunzel how she's not pretty, why would he like her? I can name several hundred reasons why, I fumed to myself.

"_Don't be a dummy, come with mummy, Mother-_" she sings sweetly, so cruel and evil she was.

"NO!" Rapunzel yelled, causing me to go green in surprise. Rapunzel never, I repeat, _never, _yells. Ever. The way she yelled sent a little jolt to my heart and caused Gothel to look even more frightening that she had when she arrived as she answered maliciously, "No? Ohh," Gothel drew out the syllables, "_I _see how it is."

Rapunzel's angry expression faded as Gothel approached wickedly, "_Rapunzel know best," _she spat, _"Rapunzel's so mature now, such a clever grown up miss." _She gave Rapunzel's scalp not the usual affectionate pat but instead a sharp poke, causing Rapunzel to cringe.

"_Rapunzel knows best," _she continued, "_Fine! If you're so sure now,_" she turned sharply, "_Go ahead and give him this!" _Rapunzel and I gasped at what 'this' was.

The jeweled thingie.

"How did you!" Rapunzel gasped. Gothel cut her off quickly, "_THIS is why he's here, don't let him deceive you, give it to him, watch, you'll see!" _Gothel threw the jeweled thing at her and she quickly caught it. Rapunzel looked determinedly at the it and called back at Gothel, "I will!"

"_Trust me, my dear," _she snapped her wrinkly fingers, "_THAT'S how fast he'll leave you!" _She grabbed the satche; and swung it around Rapunzel, causing the strap to fall limply on Rapunzel's shoulder. "_I won't say I told you so! So, Rapunzel knows best, well, if he's such a dreamboat, go and put him, to the test!" _She flashed Rapunzel the most frightening look I have ever and I mean EVER seen. Her eyes burned with rage as she turned to go into the forest. Rapunzel called back after her, "Mother, wait!"

Gothel turned sharply as she said viciously, "_If he's lying, don't come crying!" _She gestured with her hands dramatically as she held a high note, "_Mother! Knows, BEST!" _and with that, Gothel swished her cape about and disappeared into the fog.

Rapunzel just stood there, completely and utterly dazed, when a voice came from behind, "So, can I ask you something?"

Fitzherbert, I thought. I watched frantically as Rapunzel quickly stooped and hid the satchel beneath a stump and snapped back up as he came near the fire bearing a large armful of wood.

"Cause I'm not going to lie, that would be stupendous," he smiled. What was he talking about?

He looked curiously back at Rapunzel, who's back was to him and asked sincerely, "Hey, you all right?" Aww, I smiled to myself, he was concerned about her.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Rapunzel smiled reassurringly as she turned around, "Just lost in thought, I guess."

He shrugged it off and stooped to place more wood on the blazing fire. "I mean, because here's the thing, superhuman good looks, I've always had them-born with it!-but superhuman strength, can you imagine the possibilites of this?"

Rapunzel sat back down on the log and smiled again. "I don't think so."

"Ah, well," he shrugged again. I used this opportunity to crawl up onto Rapunzel's shoulder and ask her something. I chirped into her ear and she nodded understandingly. I crawled on down her arm onto her open hand as she called, "Hey, Eugene?" He turned to her and said, "Yeah?"

"Can I asked you something?"

"Okay, shoot."

"Pascal wants to know what he should call you," she explained. He turned to look at me. I gave him a little shrug as he asked, "What WAS he calling me?"

"He said he called you Rider, but, since that's not your real name, he wants to know what he should call you," she answered as she stroked me on my back. I love it when she does that.

"Well," he said slowly as he added another stick to the fire. "He can call me Eugene, I guess." He gave me a smile, a nice smile, and I returned the gesture.


	9. CORONA!

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, as much as I'd LOVE to, I don't, and it is just SO hard, you know? I haven't watched Tangled in WEEKS and there was bad things happening to good people, so when will we watch it? WHEN? Oh, don't worry, we're scheduled for tomorrow. The Kingdom, yes, finally, all four characters, interacting, trying not to kill each other, YAY!**

After that disturbing encounter with Gothel, the rest of the evening passed fairly quickly and when the flames ceased to exist, Rapunzel laid down next to the large log and wrapped herself in her hair and Eugene rested his head against a rock on the opposite side of the fire pit. I quickly jumped down from the tree and circled around in her hair trying to find a comfortable position. Once I had found one, I snuggled my chin into the golden locks and sighed. I was perfectly content.

Rapunzel sat up suddenly and called, "Hey, Eugene?" He sat up and turned to her. He smiled slightly and asked, "Yeah?"

She gave a small giggle and said, "Good night." His smile widened a bit as he answered, "Good night, Blondie." Both fell back into a sleeping position and Rapunzel traced my little scales as she grinned to herself.

"Good night, Pascal," she said quietly. I chirped in response as I rubbed against her chin. "Good night," I told her.

* * *

It was a calm and peaceful night from what I could tell, frankly I was surprised at how well I slept out in the elements. Of course the restful night was rudely interrupted when a scream filled my ears. Rapunzel sat up abruptly and I leaped to my feet in alert. Rapunzel and I were astonished to see Eugene, who had probably been as rudely woken up as we had, being dragged through the hard ground away from the campsite by his boot! My ears widened as I recognized his captor.

It was the white horse, water dripping down its panting sides as it worked hard at kidnapping the thief who was frantically grabbing at the ground in effort to stop the beast. I quickly ran up Rapunzel's hair as she jumped up and ran after them. She grabbed Eugene's hands and pulled as hard as she could.

"Stop, stop, let go, put me down!" Eugene screamed at his captor. I held on for dear life as Rapunzel pulled harder and grunted do to her effort.

"Give. Me. HIM!" she almost yelled and she managed to pull Eugene out of the horse's mouth. The two fell on the ground, panting in exhaustion and I realized that she had not rescued everything.

The horse still had Eugene's boot in his mouth. Enraged, he charged at us with angry eyes directed at Rapunzel. Eugene scrambled away in panic. She quickly resumed standing and leaped in front of the horse and exclaimed, "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, steady!" I quickly covered my eyes in horror. I didn't know what horses could do but I knew enough that that was suicide! But, as usual, I parted my fingers and saw that Rapunzel had somewhat calmed down the beast.

As I eased myself up onto the top of her head, she was earnestly saying, "Easy, easy. Whoa, whoa, easy! That's it!" she said brightly. The horse relented and calmed down a bit. "Now, sit!" she quickly told him. The horse's eyes diverted toward me, who gave him the old 'be cool' sign. Whenever Rapunzel needed a major amount of calming-down-ness, I'd scrunched my fingers together and move them up and down, indicating she just had to relax.

Apparently it worked on more than Rapunzel, for the horse got my message and relaxed enough to sit down.

"Now, drop the boot," she urged further. I smirked when the horse shook his head hastily.

"Drop it," Rapunzel said firmly. He'd better listen to her, I thought with a smile. He sighed and reluctantly let the sticky boot fall from his mouth.

"Aww, you are such a good boy! Yes, you are! Are you all tired from chasing this bad man all over the place?" Rapunzel said sympathetically. She stuck out her lower lip in a pout as she petted the animal soothingly. The horse nodded sadly as an irritated voice from the background called, "Excuse me?" Ssshh, Eugene!

"Nobody appreciates you, do they? Do they?" she continued as she gave the horse a little hug. He leaned his neck against her side and I hugged Rapunzel's head in response to their little impromptu hug.

"Oh, come on!" Eugene called over to us in an annoyed tone. "He's a BAD horse!" I laughed at him as I crawled down Rapunzel's shoulder when she released the horse from the hug. Rapunzel turned to him and said, "Oh, he's nothing but a big sweetheart!" Man, you've got to love Rapunzel. She finds good in everyone. The horse neighed happily as he rubbed his head against Rapunzel's.

"Isn't that right?" she smiled. When she scratched his under snout/thingie, we both noticed a little golden badge in the shape of a sun and under the sun was a name, Maximus. Simple, yet elegant. "Maximus?" she grinned.

"You've got to be kidding me," Eugene said disgustedly. Rapunzel had Maximus sitting on his two hind legs like a dog, panting happily as could be, and she was scratching his blonde mane. I think Eugene was _jealous, _of a horse!

At his voice, Maximus instantly stopped panting and narrowed his eyes at Eugene in annoyance. It was very clear that the two were at odds with each other.

Rapunzel quickly came to rescue before the two boys could battle it out. "Look, today is kinda the biggest day of my life, and the thing is," she said as she crossed the campsite, still looking into Maximus' eyes. She grabbed Eugene's arm and brought him to his feet, "I need you not to get him arrested."

At her realistic request, he snarled. I rolled my eyes at him as Rapunzel quickly answered, "Just for twenty four hours and then you can chase each other to your heart's content. Okay?" She folded her arms behind her back innocently as Eugene held out his hand in defeat, though, now that I think about it, I think he was actually willing to do it, not for the sake of not being arrested, but, I think, for Rapunzel's sake. Maximus snarled and turned away in protest.

Rapunzel clenched her teeth and with the sweet smile still on her face, made out, "And, it's, also my birthday. Just to let you know." Maximus gave a little sigh when she said that and looked up at Eugene's poker face and Rapunzel and my hopeful faces. He reluctantly held out his hoof and the two shook hands. Rapunzel and I gave a little smile when a noise came from the distance. Rapunzel pushed past the two's hand/hoof deal-merger-thingie and she walked on to the sound.

The sound was wonderful, ringing with a firm _gong_! Rapunzel was very mesmerized by the sound and I was too until the goofballs started fighting again.

We were crossing the massive bridge; Rapunzel was all giddy and she did a little dance. I turned around and frowned; Eugene and Max were fighting over a white paper, probably a wanted poster, and they were irking me. I squawked loudly and got their attention. They stopped long enough for me to tell them to stop or they'll answer to me. Max stopped biting Eugene's leg and Eugene stopped looking like he was about to punch the giant horse.

Once we had reached the entrance to the village, Rapunzel and I were ecstatic. There was purple flags with bright yellow suns on them, and they were streamed together across the streets and they were connected to the high windows of the little town houses that were built right next to each other. Flowers adorned many green hedges full of life and the people, oh, the people!

There was so many of them! Tall people, short people, girls, boys, old, young, all enjoying themselves on this merry day.

There was so much to do, so much to see! There was only one problem. The hair. Mutiple people walked all over it and were nearly tripping over the locks. Rapunzel moved to get out of the way only to upset a flock of geese and almost knock over a man with a book.

Eugene came running from the bridge, (he was either really slow or we were really fast) and helped Rapunzel gather the hair. Maximus had followed him and now the four of us must have looked really, really odd; the two humans with seventy feet of long hair and us the animals looking around curiously for a solution. Eugene looked around and caught the attention of four little girls. They were sitting on the edge of a stone statue that had water spurring out of it and they squealed with joy when he whistled for their attention.

They came over in complete and utter awe and grabbed Rapunzel's hand and had her sit down.

"Now, sit here and we'll make your hair nice and pretty," one of the older ones said.

"And out of the way," another quickly said.

"Okay," Rapunzel answered excitedly.

Eugene noticed some of those guards and, quick, as a wink, slid under the edge of the statue. Maximus walked over to him with an 'I'm-watching-you' look on his face and I managed to crawl off Rapunzel's hair, which the four little girls were squealing over, and over to the goof-offs of our party.

The four little girls huddled for a moment and then went to work. They giggled as one by one, they twisted and turned the hair each way and that. One of the little girls brought a little brown basket full of assorted flowers and they carefully attached it into the intricate hair-do.

We men, as I now like to call my comrades, managed to avoid the guards that kept coming our way. When Rapunzel's hair was finished, she danced about in glee. Her laugh caught Eugene's attention, and when he noticed her with her newly decorated hair, a smile actually came across his face. Maximus laughed at his sudden interest and made his eyebrows go up and down in amusement. I laughed as Eugene shoved him off.

She exclaimed, "Thank you!" and skipped over to us. She winked at Eugene, and I suddenly had a little feeling in the pit of my stomach. What was she implying to him?

Anyway, she scooped me up and nodded to Maximus. She carefully held me out as she walked me to the little girls.

"Lauren, Laura, Lucy, Lydia, I want you to meet Pascal," she pointed to me, "and Maximus."

"Oh, they're so cute!"

"And sweet!"

"Can I hold him?" the one named Lauren, who was the tallest, asked boldly. Rapunzel eagerly nodded and set me into her hands. Lauren's hands were soft and small, like Rapunzel's used to be, only a bit smaller. Laura, the second tallest, bounded to a flower pot and picked up a little basket that was sitting next to it. She skipped over to us and pulled out a little grape, like the one Eugene smooshed.

"Grape?" she offered. Lucy, the youngest, giggled as Lydia, the third oldest, petted Maximus. They both turned to see my reaction which was an enthustastic nod. Lydia giggled as I stuck out my long pink tongue and Laura carefully plopped a purple grape onto it. Quick as a wink, I zipped my tongue back in. Since the girls were still watching, I decided to make them giggle even more. I winked at Maximus and instantly turned purple. The girls cried in delight and their sweet giggle was infectious. Maximus laughed with them as I chuckled and swallowed.

I stuck out my tongue for more and received an orange slice. I instantly closed my mouth and turned bright orange. They screamed with delight at my antics.

I grinned my grin and spun around all to see, including Rapunzel and Eugene, but they weren't there. I gulped in worry as I searched and nearly choked on the orange. Maximus gave me a pat on the back as softly as he could as I explained to him that they were gone.

Maxmius pointed with his head out into the market and I was barely able to see the two run out of sight, Rapunzel dragging the hand of the thief.

"Why, the little scroundels!" I thought. I breathed heavily as I hopped on Maximus' shoulder and was about to say goodbye to the little girls when-

"Lauren, Laura, Lydia, Lucy, come!" a stern voice called. The girls turned and waved at the caller. Lucy bounded after him and gave him a hug, which he returned.

"Daddy!" squealed the girls as they sped across the square to Daddy. Maximus and I turned and gulped. As quick as I could, I grabbed the blonde locks of Maximus and pulled back. He understood and bolted. We managed to escape into an alley where we could catch our breath.

"The Captain!" I breathed in my chameleon way as I wiped my little brow and stood up carefully on the back of the horse.

Maximus neighed and gestured and I was able to make out, "If he finds me, he'll take me back to the stables!" I nodded and looked around. Since I didn't see the Captain, I sighed in relief and thought of the two runaways. I sighed and caught Maximus' attention. I turned purple and imitated Rapunzel by petting the air. When Maximus understood, I turned blue and chuckled evilly. Maximus laughed as he nodded in agreement.

We carefully ran out of the alley and into the kingdom. We had to find Rapunzel and Eugene.


	10. Oh, We're Spying on Them: We're SNEAKY!

**DISCLAIMER: Okay, I do NOT own Tangled, though I certainly wish I did, that wishing star is not doing its job! I searched the Internet, (like I always do) and I found...a Disney Tangled Wiki! I of course went and got an account, (legoclone98, apparently disneyisbeautiful was already taken!) and you should go and check it out! I'll be helping with the editing and adding on once I do these stories!**

With one swift gesture, Maximus picked up his hooves and we practically flew down the alley. I screamed and my tongue stuck out of my mouth, for I was being supported by air and my hands were holding on to Maximus' mane for dear life. Of course the horse was grinning merrily as he dodged the stands and carefully made his way back to the town square. He halted abruptly, causing me to fall on his back with an _uff!_

He started to sniff around like crazy, causing some people to pause for a moment of their lives and stare at the beast. I didn't know what to do with this attention so I smiled and waved. But before I was warned, Maximus went off again and stopped, breathless, in front of a building.

I sucked in air before I stuck my nose against a clear solid. I, startled, punched the board and gasped when it wouldn't budge. I pushed against it and exhaled deeply, and kicked it. Maximus turned his head toward mine and smiled. He told me it was glass, clear and solid at the same time. I was somewhat shocked, for we had never had this in the tower. He gestured to me to look through it and so, a bit uncertain, I did.

Inside the building was shelves filled with, I gasped with a smile, BOOKS! Thousands of books filled the wooden compartments, volumes and scripts of writing. I was delighted, seeing how Rapunzel and I had only three books for the time, which was forever, that we had been in the tower. I noticed two figures sprawled about the floor, gazing at a book with a picture of a sphere covered in green and blue. More books were scattered about them, with pictures and elegant type and abstract lettering topping the lids of the masterpieces.

One of the figures was excitedly pointing out the lines and shapes on the picture of the decorated circle, and the other figure was patiently turning the pages.

And those two figures were Rapunzel and Eugene.

The rascals, running away like that! I, still pressed against the glass, stuck my tongue out and made an attempt to replicate a raspberry. I rolled my eyes and carefully crawled down Maximus' back and up to the door of the establishment. The wood was large and blemished and when I shoved it, it didn't give an inch. I rolled up my wrists where the skin was bunching up and ran at it with my limbs stuck out. Once I collided with the door, I tugged at it, poked it, growled at it and provoked it until I ran out of breath.

Maximus stared at me weirdly during this battle and he nodded toward a metal knob sticking out of the dark splinter-filled timber. I gave him a _seriously? _look and sighed. I certainly couldn't get in, the way I was eight inches tall standing up on my tiptoes kinda gave that away. If Maximus went in after them, he'd plow down the door and goodness knows how much trouble we'd be in.

I rolled my eyes and climbed up the arched back of Maximus and looked in on them. The morning sun was buttering the paper of the book and Rapunzel was the most excited I had ever seen her. Eugene had the book in his hands and must have been reading aloud to her because I heard muffled talking coming from within. I sighed a little in defeat and let a smile ease onto my face. Now that I thought about it, the two of them looked kinda cute together, weirdly enough.

Maximus just stood there for a minute before he peeked at me and asked what now? I shrugged but when I peeked back in, they were still reading, so I did what they did. I told Max a story.

I explained how the thief had come about and Rapunzel had blackmailed him with a frying pan to take her to see the floating lanterns, how she and I had escaped the tower for the first time and how Rapunzel had had wild mood swings to the extent I was sure that Eugene might have just scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way if she hadn't stopped running around, how we had met the Pub Thugs and how the rest of the evening turned out. His eyes went wide as I explained in great detail how we had practically died in the watery cave.

When I had finished the story, I asked Maximus a question, why did those lanterns go off on this particular day? He sighed rather sadly and explained that eighteen years ago, the King and Queen had a sweet little blonde haired princess and on the day of her birth, an ugly hag had snuck into the royal's bedroom and snatched the child and disappeared without a trace. I sighed rather depressingly as he continued to explain that every year on the lost girl's birthday, the whole kingdom let off lanterns in hope that the princess, if she was alive, might see them and come back home.

I wiped away a little tear and we sat in silence for a minute. Noticing that hours had passed, I crawled off of Maximus and onto the door. I approached the knob and carefully peeked through the hole in it to see if they were coming out. You can imagine my surprise and horror when the duo, unaware, opened the door and ran off. The door slammed against the building next to it, and with my little face against the knob, you'd imagine that it'd hurt.

A lot.

Which it did.

Maximus had ducked out of the way of their eyes, (we WERE spying on them) and looked at me curiously as he trotted out from his hiding space. He smirked and carefully peeled my little body off of the knob with his teeth. He plopped me onto the stone ground, resulting in me being covered in saliva. Lovely. I thereon screamed and rolled around the ground in panic. The dust on the street absorbed the spit and I was able to dust the clumps of dirt off of me. Maximus bent down and did his 'eyebrows-up-and-down' thing and I angrily shoved him away. I now knew how irritating that was.

We thereon raced back to town square to babysit the children.

The rest of the day was, without a doubt, the fastest day of my life. I mean, when you're stuck in a tower day in and day out, time will go as fast as molasses but out here, in the bright sunshine and the merry atomosphere, I lost track of time. I soon got used to riding the bumpy back of Maximus and I proudly sat up like a real rider as I raced around the town. We had done a lot of stuff, from sightseeing to people seeing Maximus as a sort of hero and feeding him apples, but we also had spyed on Rapunzel and Eugene.

Rapunzel, something you might not know about her, she's as fast as a whip. Everytime we happened to catch a glimpse of the two, she drag him off down the next clear path. We did, however, catch them in a small nook in a building. Maximus had hidden carefully behind the building in the front of the one in which the two people in question were hiding and had sent me scouting.

I had blended into the building quite easily and reached a spot right over their heads. They both had their heads turned to watch soldiers and they were also holding cupcakes. They turned back to face each other and grinned, and I made a little heart with my fingers over their head, causing Maximus to do his eyebrow thing, which made me laugh, which made me almost fall seven feet. Thank you for almost killing me, Maximus.

We chased them into the square where Eugene bought a little purple flag from a little boy and gave it to Rapunzel as a birthday present. She grabbed it eagerly and showed Eugene excitedly as she pointed out the sun on the flag that matched the streamers hanging out of people's home. I mentioned that I thought the sun, which was the kingdom's symbol, was pretty good looking. Maximus then told me the story behind it.

A long time ago, a drop of sun had fallen from the sun and had transformed into a flower once it hit the ground. The kingdom had heard of this amazing story, a legend really, and when the kingdom was built, they dubbed the sun their symbol. That same flower saved the life of the Queen and the lost princess. I was so absorbed in the story that I didn't notice until the story was done that our companions had disappeared, and I pulled on Maximus' mane in a huff.

Rapunzel and Eugene had somehow managed to get a hold on some chalk and Maximus and I watched in anticipation as she skillfully drew out an outline in the shape of the kingom's symbol. She grew excited as she blocked out everything else except that masterpiece. Hours later, she carefully stood up and wiped her brow and looked at Eugene eagerly. She had chalked a purple sun, with dancing couples interwined in the designs. Eugene glanced at the flag and said to her, "That's about right, Blondie."

She then flew down to the town square where we had originally arrived in and gazed about.

"Where's Pascal and Max?" she wondered. She felt a deep breath on her shoulders as Maximus towered over her. I stood on his head and folded my arms and planted a stern look on my face. She giggled and turned to face the two of us.

"Hey, we haven't seen you guys all day," Rapunzel smiled as she took me in her hands and rubbed her cheek against mine. My anger melted away as she scratched Maximus with one of her hands. She had simply wanted to see everything, and come to think of it, I was able to see a lot of the kingdom by following her around.

"Hey, Blondie, let's get something to eat," Eugene spoke up. Rapunzel nodded at him as she carefully placed me on Maximus' back and skipped back to Eugene.

I watched the two as they got into a line to buy stuff. Rapunzel, however, got particularly bored as she stood there and she looked around. She spied a large portrait and looked at it curiously. I looked towards it and was astonished.

In the picture there was a tall man, large and study, but with a gentle smile on his face. A crown graced his hair and his arm was comfortingly placed around the waist of a young woman, beautiful and young, with piercing eyes, and in her hands, there was a baby. The child, a little girl, had bright blonde hair and glowing green eyes. A little girl was saying to her mother and her little sibling, "This is for the lost princess," and she gently placed a daisy near the portrait.

The lost princess.

So that was what she looked like; as a baby at least. She was beautiful, so innocent and gentle it made me sigh in contentment. I turned to my long-haired companion, who was transfixed by it; Rapunzel stared at it curiously as if she was mesmerized by it.

She was, however, quickly distracted by the sound of music playing. A trio of men were playing lighthearted music and Rapunzel grinned gleefully. She started skipping in her own little way in the main area in town, which was clear fortunately, for Rapunzel was dancing wildly. She ran up to a little boy and gently grabbed his hands and did a little dance with him, his parents egging him on. She let go of the little boy's hands and left him skipping about as she started drawing people in. One by one, she soon had dozens of people dancing. In pairs they danced about, the crowd that had gathered started clapping in time to the music.

Eugene smiled at her antics and when Rapunzel eagerly gestured for him to join her, he declined. Maximus' face screwed about. He and I had seen this budding romance all day, and Eugene clearly didn't see it. With this thought in mind, Maximus shoved the thief towards the crowd, causing Eugene to drop the bread he had bought and he threw Maximus an irritated look before he got swept into the crowd. Maximus and I laughed merrily as the music grew faster and faster.

All the pairs of people danced about in some organized chaos, so much that poor Eugene couldn't get to dance with Rapunzel.

Maximus and I tapped our feet to the music and a climax came about as it grew faster and faster and faster. Maximus and I gasped as everything fell into slow motion. Rapunzel had gotten away from her previous dance partner and was twirling about, her braiding swirling around her quick feet. Eugene had been holding out his arms and by divine providence, they fell into each other's arms. Eugene had one hand gently wrapped around her slim waist and she had one resting on his shoulder and their other hands were lost in the other's.

When the music stopped, a crier called out, "To the boats!" When the crowd cheered at such dancing, Rapunzel and Eugene quickly realized the position that they were in and they instantly broke apart and they both smiled sheepishly. I swear I saw Flynn Rider _blush! _I nudged Maximus who winked at me amusingly.

Eugene scratched the back of his neck nervously as Rapunzel tucked a bit of her hair back. Eugene looked like he had just gotten a bright idea and exclaimed, "Come here, I have something."

"Where are we going?" Rapunzel asked curiously. Wow, deja vu.

"Oh, you'll know it when you smell it," he smiled as he placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her over to us.

"Yep, you can't beat the salty smell of the sea," he said. I smiled at the seemingly reformed thief and carefully crawled onto his shoulder. He looked at me and actually smiled. We had finally become friends. This was going to be great.

**Okay, so I have my iPod playing random songs and just when I finished "Where are we going?" Waiting For The Lights starts playing. Weird, or coincidence?**


	11. I See The Light

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled and RAPUNZEL GOT CORONATED IN LONDON AND EUGENE TOOK THE CROWN OUT OF HIS SATCHEL AND IT WAS ALL TOO ADORABLE! Sorry, I was screaming that last part from Rapunzel on down. Oh my gosh, my favorite part of the movie, the lantern scene! I hope I do it right! **

Eugene led the four of us to a pier and attached to the dock was a floating wooden container. Rapunzel looked at him curiously and I turned to look at him as well. What the heck was it?

"What is it?" Rapunzel stated uncertainly. Eugene looked at her, a bit bewildered, "It's a boat, a canoe, or need we be elegant, a gondola. You go in it and it floats on the water." I liked the word gondola, I liked elegantance. But before he had said anything else, we heard a _thump! _Eugene and Rapunzel looked around for a moment before they shrugged at each other.

"Oh, okay," Rapunzel blushed and he carefully helped her into the gondola. She carefully placed a hand on the seat and steadied herself as he let go of her hand and she sat down. She shifted around a bit to get comfortable and smiled.

Eugene carefully got himself onto the gondola and my stomach shifted a little. I hoped this was going to go well, though I hate to admit it, sometimes I turn even greener than usual. Once he was settled, however, I felt my stomach turn to normal and I sighed in relief. He then grabbed an oar, as it was called, and stuck it into the water. He lifted it in and out slowly as the boat began to move. Rapunzel bounced a bit, excited as usual.

We heard a sad sigh and turned to see the forlorn horse on the dock. Maximus was sad at seeing us go out onto the ocean and he sighed melancholily.

Eugene for once noticed the stallion and actually smiled at the guy. "Hey, Max," he said to him. The horse looked up to see the thief toss him a bag of apples. I was kinda touched at how Eugene was actually being _nice _to Max.

Of course, Maximus snarled at this gesture, I'm pretty sure he was pretty sure that the fruit was stolen.

"What? I bought them," Eugene told him, which immediately made the horse shrug, let down his guard, and chomp down on the apples.

"Most of them," Eugene then called over his shoulder, causing me to laugh a bit at their game. Rapunzel let out a little giggle as Maximus' face dropped, and he frantically searched the pile of fruit to see if he could distinguish which ones had been swiped.

Rapunzel turned to Eugene and asked him, "Where are we going?" I was wondering the same thing, he had left us in the dark about this plan concerning this gondola.

"Best day of your life?" he asked as he stuck out his hand in my direction. I smiled as I descended onto his hand and he gently set me down on a golden colored pedestal that was on the stern of the boat. I settled down on the nice flat surface and he answered, "Figured you should have a decent seat." Ohh, decent seats! Sounds awesome! He then started rowing with the oar until we reached the middle of the vast lake. It had gotten late and the sun had set when he finally stopped.

We sat there for a few moments, just waiting for the lights. Rapunzel had gotten a little sad looking, and I was getting a bit concerned as to why. Apparently so was Eugene, for he turned to her and asked, "You okay?"

Rapunzel gave a little weak smile and said miserably, "I'm terrified." Of what? I wondered. Rapunzel hadn't shown signs of sadness all day, she had had the most wonderful time. We had already done the hard part, the whole blackmailing the thief, escaping the mother, thugs and death part; so why now was she so scared?

So of course he asked her, (I would have too if I could have been able to speak human) "Why?"

Rapunzel dipped her hands into the water and splashed quietly with her fingers as she sighed and explained, "I've been looking out a window for eighteen years, dreaming of what I might feel like when those lights rise into the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed they would be?" Oh, I understood now. Rapunzel was scared of disappointment.

Over her small lifetime, she had suffered disappointment. When Gothel promised her something and she didn't keep the deal; that was why Rapunzel never went back on her promises. There had been those times when Gothel had told Rapunzel if she was very good, she might go outside. Rapunzel had told me she was perfection for Gothel, who never let her out. When she had gotten older, Gothel had told her she mustn't go outside. I was so sad to think that Rapunzel was now instead of thinking of her dream coming true, she was thinking if it would come true at all.

Eugene had understood her depression and said encouragingly, "It will be." I could have hugged him for that.

Rapunzel smiled and looked up at him, "And what if it is? What do I do then?" That was a very good question. Eugene?

He smiled and thought a second before he told her, "Well, that's the good part, I guess. You get to go find a new dream." Rapunzel was comforted by his words, and somehow, so was I, for I suddenly knew, by the way he was looking at her, he wanted to be a part of her new dream.

Silence engulfed us and we sat in a bit of boredom. I searched the dock for Maximus, but he was too far away. When I turned back, I smiled. Rapunzel had taken some of the assorted flowers from her fancy braid and was letting them gently float on the water, and who was holding the pile of flowers but the thief. I smiled at them when Rapunzel's quick eyes darted up. I followed her gaze to see the first floating light, that lantern, rise into the sky.

Rapunzel thus dropped what she was doing and leaped up. She grabbed the polished stern of the boat to balance herself; her eyes never left that lantern. Her quick movement, however, threw Eugene and I for a loop. He nearly fell out the side of the boat and I was thrown from my pedestal. I was able to find my footing and took my seat back as Eugene straightened up and watched her.

Even though she wasn't facing us, you could tell she was in a state of pure joy. Speechless, a good word to describe this usually talkative girl, was what she was as she stood there in the starlight.

Casting my gaze from Rapunzel, I turned and gasped. I was so stunned, much more surprised than I had ever been in my whole life.

That one lantern had started a lantern chain, causing a myriad of lanterns to start to rise into the sky. Shining, shimmering, splendid, each one so carefully crafted to honor their lost princess. Some had suns on them and other, flowers; all glowed and flew slowly into the darkness. All of them together, there must have been thousands! Hundreds came from the boats, the citizens letting them loose. Others, from that beautiful seaside village. They were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

They were like the sun, the stars, the moon, casting new light over the poor kingdom. I silently asked God to bring those people, those devoted and honorable people, their princess back.

My thoughts were interrupted to see Rapunzel turn from her position to stare at the thief. Lost in my own little world of thoughts, I hadn't seen Eugene take lanterns from under the seat and light them. Now, he offered them to Rapunzel, as a birthday gift.

She eagerly sat down to face him and gave a little giggle before she told him, "I have something for you too," and she reached behind her and took out the satchel. Eugene looked _so _stunned, I'll tell you that much. While he had been explaining to Rapunzel what a boat was, Maximus had taken the satchel that Rapunzel given him to hold for the day (she didn't explain to him what was inside and he had had it hidden in one of the pockets on his saddle) and had thrown it onto the boat without the thief looking. I had to admit, he did a good job not letting a thief know about it.

Back to the subject at hand.

Eugene looked at her, astonished, as she explained, "I should have given it to you before, but I was just scared, and the thing is, I'm not scared anymore. You know what I mean?" He smiled and did the most wonderful thing I ever saw him do. He set aside the satchel, his most prized and honored possession, and said, "I'm starting to," and with that, they each took a lantern and let it rise into the sky.

It was amazing, I'll tell you. The lanterns were everywhere now and they had surrounded the gondola, but the two lanterns I was watching were the two the thief and captive had released. The lanterns never separated, never flew away, they just went straight up, in a straight line.

I looked back at the two and sighed. That description also fit them as well. Rapunzel had nearly fallen out of the boat trying to reach a lantern floating her way and she managed to grab it lightly and send it up into the air. Eugene never took his eyes off of her, and he gently caught her hands with his, and she turned to him and smiled broadly. And then they started singing.

And for once, I didn't mind.

"_And at last I see the light," _the two sang together in perfect unison. Their eyes never strayed from each other as he added, "_And it's like, the fog has lifted." _All the lanterns seemed to disappear as I watched those two sing together.

"_And at last I see the light," _they repeated. Together. I smiled at them, so happy for them, having the most wonderful time of their life.

"_And it's like the sky is new!" _Rapunzel cried excitedly. "_And it's warm, and real, and bright, and the world has somehow shifted." _If you had told me 48 hours ago that a thief would be made to guide Rapunzel and I to see the lanterns, that we would have charmed dozens of pub thugs, escaped from drowning, and spent the best day of our lives in the village, I would have told you that you were crazy, then I'd run away from you for I'd never have met you before, but now, anything is possible, because, they're together and...

They're in love.

Love, what a mysterious thing. Gothel 'loved' Rapunzel, but never like this. I knew THIS was love, the way they were looking into each other's eyes. My eyes were almost brimming over with shining tears as together they quietly sang, "_All at once, everything is different, now that I see you." _I instantly covered my eyes with my hands and turned dark pink, but I peeked, because that's how I am. I knew what they were going to do.

"_Now that I, see you," _they finished the most beautiful song I had ever heard.

They were going to kiss. On the lips. Not on the cheek like Gothel sometimes kisses Rapunzel on, but on the lips. They must really, REALLY love each other. But, I'm okay with that.

Eugene gently placed a bit of Rapunzel's stray hair behind her ear, and then he placed his hand on her neck and drew them closer. My eyes grew wider as their's grew smaller as they closed them. They got nearer, and nearer, until it was the near perfect moment.

And then that moment ended.

Eugene hadn't closed his eyes all the way after all, and peeked over Rapunzel's shoulder. I straightened up to see what he was staring at as Rapunzel asked him, "Is, is everything okay?"

He almost didn't seem to hear the question and was startled when he noticed she was looking at him.

"Huh? Oh, yes, yes, of course," he stuttered, and then he frowned to himself. Not one of us said one word as he let go of Rapunzel's hands and rowed us across the water to the shore opposite the kingdom. Rapunzel and I exchanged worried glances as he jumped out of the boat and brought it ashore. He reached into the boat and, my eyes bulged, seized the satchel and looked into Rapunzel's eyes.

"I'm sorry, everything is fine. There's just something I have to take care of," he said slowly as he looked at her to say something. Anything. She answered with an, "Okay." With a weak smile, he turned his back to us and walked away.

Rapunzel had been grasping the stern on the gondola, so I took the opportunity to climb the shining wood and crawled onto her shoulder. She wasn't looking too good. Her eyes were sad and she seemed rather stricken. She noticed me looking at her and smiled.

"It's alright, Pascal," she tried to console me. No, I didn't need consoling as much as she did. She was _heartbroken. _It was the perfect moment, even the wrath of Gothel couldn't have disturbed it, and yet, they didn't kiss.

"Don't worry, he'll come back," she tried reassuring me. I then realized that she wasn't even trying to comfort me as much as herself. I patted her sympathetically as she said to herself, "I trust him."

Minutes felt like hours as they passed as slowly as they could. The seconds trickled away like molasses as Rapunzel searched the fog (that had set in ominiously) for him. I sighed as I watched the last of those glorious lights disappear to who knows where. I turned back to reality when I heard a branch break.

Footsteps grew closer as Rapunzel and I looked through the mist to see a tall figure coming towards us.

I can tell you, Rapunzel and I were _so _relieved. I exhaled with a smile on my face to see him come back and Rapunzel smiled as she said, "I was starting to think you ran off with the crown and left me." Frankly, so was I.

In this darkness, things were hard to make out. So, when two burly figures emerged instead of a slightly-smaller built one, Rapunzel and I were more than slightly horrified and confused. Instead of Eugene, we were approached by two hefty men with dark orange hair and muscles, big ones.

The older and more scary looking one smiled evilly at Rapunzel and I and said, "He did."

Those two words took the two of us back as Rapunzel summoned her courage and said bravely, "No, he wouldn't."

The evil men's grins widened as the one without an eyepatch (why did the other one have an eyepatch? I wondered) gestured towards the water and chuckled, "See for yourself."

Don't even try to imagine Rapunzel's broken heart as she gazed out on the water and called frantically, "Eugene?" There he was, steering a boat; against the mast, he was steering away from us. When he didn't respond, she yelled out at the top of her lungs, "EUGENE!"

The men drew closer to us as Rapunzel looked out on the water with dispair. Coward I was, (I kicked myself for doing it later) I shrank back on Rapunzel's shoulder and behind her braid. At that moment, the man without the the eyepatch touched her hair, examining it, and Rapunzel didn't even notice. I promised myself that I'd bite that guy the first chance I got.

"A fair trade, a crown for the girl with the magic hair," he said slowly. Rapunzel turned to look at him in horror. Eugene had told them about her hair? Oh no. But it got worst as the man continued, "How much do you think someone will pay to stay _young _and healthy forever?" His eyes grew with greed as he drew out a bag and they went after the poor frightened girl.

"Please, no!" Rapunzel pleaded, but it was no use. I gulped as she ran; as hard as she could, she ran. Her terrified feet carried her around the bend, but, oh, it just kept getting better. As she rounded the turn, her long braid got caught in a pile of branches. I held on for dear life as she jerked the braid as hard as she could, gasping and grunting as she tried.

I was sure the menacing men would be here any minute until we heard such a racket; whacking and pounding as we heard the men groan, and then it was quiet. Rapunzel stopped tugging at her braid when she and I heard a voice that startled the heck out of me.

"Rapunzel?"

It was...

"Mother?" Rapunzel uttered slowly. She dragged the braid away to where the boat was, and we saw her.

Gothel was holding a stick, a large one at that, and at her feet there was the men who tried to kidnap Rapunzel. Groaning and bruised, I could tell that Gothel had pounded the living daylights out of them. Gothel herself looked older than she had last night. Her already greying hair was more grey than black now, and her wrinkly hands trembled as she turned to us and held out her arms and said in a motherly tone, "Oh, my precious girl."

Poor Rapunzel, on the brink of tears, gathered her skirts and ran into her arms. Gothel quickly hugged her and then examined her frantically as she asked things like, "Oh, are you hurt?" while Rapunzel tried to ask, "Mother, how did you-?"

Gothel interrupted by explaining, "I followed you, and then I saw them attack you!" She thrusted Rapunzel into a quick hug and then quickly told her, "Quick, quick, before they come to!" and she let go of Rapunzel's hand and slipped into the woods. Rapunzel didn't immediately follow her. She turned back to the ocean and watched the boat grow dimmer and dimmer as it disappeared. I watched as well, and could tell that Rapunzel was crying do to the choking sob she let escape.

She turned back to Gothel, who had lit a lantern, a regular lantern, and was holding out her arms in a sympathetic way. I had to admit, Gothel was being particularly nice to the heartbroken teen, and I was grateful to her for that.

Rapunzel caught a sob before it slipped and ran into Gothel's waiting arms and cried, "You were right, Mother," and she started weeping as she tearfully made out, "You were right about everything." Gothel held the girl close with one hand as she stroked her hair and held the lantern with the other as she said quietly, "I know dear, I know," and she led us down the path.

Before we turned the corner, I came out from behind the crying girl's shoulder and peeked out on the water and sighed. He was gone, and he was gone for good.


	12. YOU SNEAKY FAKE MOTHER, YOU!

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, sad, isn't it? Ohh, it's the *in really cool accent* Realization and Escape scene! Pascal wants you all to know that he appreciates all y'all's reviews, and he shall give you each a hug. When I can find him. He's a chameleon, and I'm not that good at finding that color-changing reptile. You know what, I'll let Rapunzel go find him, I'll keep typing. **

That, was without a doubt, the saddest night of my and Rapunzel's lives. First we had this perfect day, dreams came true, and then came the lies and deceit. Betrayal. Gorilla men. Gothel.

Rapunzel, the poor thing. When we passed the campfire we had burning last night, the embers still slightly glowing, she burst into a fresh set of sobs. Gothel patted her on the shoulder (and nearly hit me on the head) and stooped to pick up the frying pan. We then continued on, without looking back.

We went on the road, for it was hard to see things in the woods at night. Since we were near civilization, we passed the Snuggly Duckling. Rapunzel merely glanced at it and thrust her head back into the warm shoulder of Gothel. I watched the place disappear as we turned that corner. The parlor was dark and creaking, almost haunted, to say the least. It sent shivers up my spine and I crept closer to Rapunzel's neck.

Those two walked for hours. About five minutes from the tower, at the lily pond with all of its lily pads that Rapunzel liked, Gothel pulled out her pocket watch from her dress and examined it closely in the moonlight. Seeing as it was three in the morning, she sighed and put it away. I was barely awake, and the same was to be said for Rapunzel.

Once we entered the valley, Gothel led Rapunzel, who was nearly sleepwalking, around the tower to a covered door. She pushed away the crumbling stones that were in her way with her foot and carefully helped Rapunzel climb the long and sprawling stairs. Rapunzel was so depressed that she didn't even make a sound when she bumped her head on the rocky ceiling. I hung onto her hair for dear life so that no rocks would fall on my head.

Gothel carefully pushed on a certain area of the ceiling and revealed a hidden doorway. She got out and pulled Rapunzel back into the tower. Rapunzel sleepily walked up to her bedroom and was about to go into it when Gothel called, "Good night, Flower," and when the old woman didn't get a response, she called, "I love you very much dear."

Rapunzel answered emotionlessly, "I love you more."

Gothel smiled at her daughter, "I love you most," and she disappeared into her bedroom.

Rapunzel sighed and then flung herself through the curtains and landed on her bed with a sob. I crawled out from under her braid and watched hopelessly at the weeping girl. I patted her hand that was gripping the sheets comfortingly, causing Rapunzel to look at me and she bewailed, "Why did he leave? I trusted him! What were those men talking about? He TRADED me? I don't believe he would do that, Pascal!" and she started sobbing uncontrollably again.

I watched and sighed and rubbed little circles on her hand until her crying grew quieter and she fell into an unrestful sleep. Realizing that there was nothing I could do, I sighed and laid down next to her, and closed my eyes.

* * *

I stirred when I heard a rustling noise coming from the doorway. I sleepily noticed that it was Gothel and then suddenly sat up and bolted out of her way as she sat down in the place that I had been sleeping. I was getting rather rude awakenings lately.

I watched from behind the dresser in Rapunzel's room as Gothel gently shook Rapunzel's arm to try to wake her up. Usually Rapunzel woke up at seven every morning, but do to fatigue, heartbreak and crying, she didn't stir. Gothel then frowned and shook her arm more violently. I felt a frown cross my face as Rapunzel sleepily sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Good morning, dear," Gothel said. Her voice sounded sugary sweet, making me gag as the old lady took Rapunzel's brush from the basket she had brought with her and started brushing the bottom of the hair, the only part that was not flowered.

Gothel sang to herself, as if she was the only living thing in the room, "_Flower, gleam, and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine._" As Gothel's wrinkles grew fainter and her skin tightened, I saw a solitary tear slip down Rapunzel's face as she gulped, probably suppressing a sob.

_"Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine, what once was mine," _she finished. Her greying curls resumed their normal dark black look and she in turn seemed calmer and more relaxed.

"Now," she said brightly, "let's get this _stupid _braid out of here," and she started picking out the flowers like they were thorns. I turned red in anger. How dare she call that braid stupid! Those little girls did the job to the best of their ability, and they had had tons of practice. That braid was the figure of perfection, and she calls it STUPID? Of all the things in the world, STUPID? That braid was what made Rapunzel, well, Rapunzel. She had changed yesterday, and so did her hair. Now Gothel was tearing it apart, just like she was doing to Rapunzel.

A sniffle came from the direction of the teen, and Gothel had nearly half of the braid undone. She said in her 'calming' tone, "Oh, dearest, did those mean men scare you?" like she was talking to a little child.

"You see, flower, those were the kind of men I was talking about, those red-haired huge men," and she smiled to herself as she continued sinisterly, "and that thief." Gothel spat out the word thief like it was a bit of rotten fruit. I gulped as I tried to control my temper.

"They'll take your hair," a thick part of the braid came undone; "Sell it, to everyone who'll pay," another bit fell to the floor; "They'd sell YOU! You'd be a slave;" the basket grew fuller and fuller as Gothel grabbed fistfuls of the delicate buds and flung them into the basket. "And NO ONE WILL CARE ABOUT YOU!" she almost yelled. When another sniffle came from Rapunzel, Gothel sighed and put on a smile and turned Rapunzel's head to face her.

"But I do." 'No,' I thought to myself, 'you don't care. You don't care about anyone but youself!'

Rapunzel then silently turned her head and Gothel went back to her work. Within minutes, she had taken out nearly all of those precious reminders of that wonderful day.

As she carefully detracted the last blossom, she said slyly, "There! It never happened." She smiled to herself and stood up and grabbed her basket. She strolled to the doorway, thank goodness, I could barely stand her being in here anymore.

"Now, wash up for dinner, I'm making hazelnut soup," Gothel declared, trying to entice the girl with the concoction. I shook my head to myself when Rapunzel didn't respond; she just sat there and stared at her hands.

Gothel sighed in annoyance and said in a phony caring voice, "I really did try, Rapunzel, I tried to warn you of what was out there. The world is dark, and selfish, and cruel. If it finds the slightest ray of sunshine, it _destroys it._" Gothel enunciated the last two words carefully, to make them stick in Rapunzel's head. I watched Rapunzel sigh quietly as Gothel sighed and closed the curtains swiftly.

I knew that those words went through one of Rapunzel's ears and out the other. She and I knew now that Gothel wasn't telling the truth, not the whole truth. Sure, there was those scary men that wanted Rapunzel's hair, but what about the Pub Thugs? With their weird yet special dreams who understood Rapunzel enough to help her escape? What about those villagers, who didn't reveal Eugene to the guards and who had welcomed Rapunzel into their society with warm smiles? What about them?

I know not the answers to these questions, nor did I think that I'd get any. Seeing as the poor blonde was almost melting, I crawled back onto the bed and snuggled next to her thin body and looked up at my best friend.

Rapunzel, barely even moving, unfolded her one keepsake that she had carefully hidden away from Gothel's prying eyes. My eyes widened as she revealed that it was the little flag with the sun motif on it that Eugene had gotten for her birthday.

Her visage was sad, to say the least. She had already cried all of her tears, leaving the streaks of salty liquid on her freckles. I chirped ever so slightly to capture her attention, and to my surprise, she turned to me.

I thought of what I should do to hold her attention and then turned into a deep blue. It meant two things. It meant I was sad, very sad, and it was also the color of the vest that the thief had worn. My eyes looked straight into her eyes, and they said, "I'm so sorry." Rapunzel gave me the slightest resemblence to a smile I had seen her give me in the last twelve hours. She then flopped backward onto the bed and sighed sadly. She held up the flag at arms' length and studied it intently. Her eyes then eased onto her ceiling, and then a curious look came upon her.

I cocked my headed to the side as she looked back and forth between the cloth and her paintings. She silently sat up and placed the bit of fabric aside, never turning away from her drawings. I stared at the flag that she had tossed aside and then to the beams. What was she seeing?

She then suddenly stood up, still gazing at the ceiling. By this time I was throughly alarmed and jumped down from the bed and tried to capture her attention. I frantically waved my arms around, when she didn't respond, I chirped hurriedly.

I don't know if my chirping worked, but something made her jump quickly, and she stumbled against the dresser. She clasped the wooden knobs on it as she slowly whispered the four words that would change her and my life forever.

"I'm the lost princess."

I thereon was promptly dumbfounded. What was she saying? SHE was the lost princess? I slowly withdrew my lip that had dropped to the floor and thought for a moment. Okay, okay, think. The lost princess, from what Max had told me, had blonde hair and that yesterday was her birthday; not only was yesterday Rapunzel's birthday, she had a MOUNTAIN of blonde hair. Those lanterns that went up every year were for the lost princess; Rapunzel seemed to have a connection with those lanterns. The princess was gone for eighteen years; Rapunzel is eighteen years old.

I gulped.

Rapunzel was the lost princess.

Upon hearing the commotion Rapunzel made by hurdling herself into the large dresser, I heard Gothel walked slowly up the stairs and call, "Rapunzel? Rapunzel, what's going on up there? Are you alright?"

Gothel.

I quickly swelled with anger as I exhaled and inhaled deeply. Gothel. SHE was that old good for nothing hag who had stolen away the lost princess, _RAPUNZEL, _from the King and Queen. No wonder she was never caring, loving, she never loved Rapunzel! She only loved HER HAIR! Gothel was the kind of selfish, greedy person what Gothel kept warning Rapunzel of, every single day, for her whole life! Gothel wanted the hair, SHE was the one imprisoning her!

Rapunzel stood up straight and marched to the curtains. She drew them back and, trying to calm herself down, muttered, "I'm the lost princess!"

Gothel nearly turned to the color of her dress as she yelled, "Do speak up, Rapunzel, you know how I feel about the MUMBLING!"

At that sentence, Rapunzel stiffened. She had been telling her that her whole life, and she was NOT going to mumble as she imparted, "I AM the lost princess!" Rapunzel's anger was starting to escalate as she straightened and emphasized, "Did I mumble, Mother?" and she thought a second and added, "or should I even call you that?"

I grinned smugly as Gothel's face seemed to drain and pale as she tried to reassure Rapunzel (and herself, I could obviously see) with, "Oh, Rapunzel, do you even hear yourself? Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?" The stunned woman tried to wrap her arms around the girl, but Rapunzel was on fire and she quickly dodged her and challenged, "It was YOU! It was all YOU!"

I knew then that Gothel had finally let it sink into her skull that Rapunzel knew. My deep red that I had turned turned even darker as Gothel practically conceded, "Everything that I did was to protect YOU!" I was so proud of Rapunzel, she didn't flinch for a second. She pushed Gothel out of her way with force I didn't know she possessed and marched down the stairs, leaving Gothel to run after her and call, "Rapunzel!"

Rapunzel didn't even turn around as she yelled in a vociferous manner, "I've spent my entire LIFE, hiding from people who would use me for my power."

"RAPUNZEL!" Gothel yelled all the louder. I slowly crept out from where I was hiding in the doorway and held on to the bars in the banister and watched Rapunzel as she continued, "When I should have been hiding," she turned to stare at Gothel angrily, "YOU!" Rapunzel was infuriated, and so was I.

Gothel knew that the game was up, so she tried to make Rapunzel stay in the tower by shouting, "Where will you go? He won't be there for you!" I grimaced as I remembered the thief. Wait, I had to remember him? I thought just a few minutes ago he was the only thing on Rapunzel and my minds. Whatever. Wait. Gothel had this plan laid out so carefully, she probably had gotten rid of the thief herself! I felt myself getting even more mad every single second.

Rapunzel, outraged at Gothel, demanded, "What did you do to him?" Her deep emerald eyes that usually were filled with gentleness flashed with fiery as she clenched and unclenched her small hands.

Gothel appeared to be trying to compose herself as she answered calmly, and cruelly, "That criminal is to be hanged for his crimes." Her sickening voice enunciated each crr-sound crisply, as if she was trying to imply to Rapunzel that there was nothing she could do about it.

Rapunzel, who never got riled up or ill-tempered, had burst out into anger, but now she crumpled like the grape between the fingers of Eugene. She pulled away into the shadows as she clutched her hands together and uttered, "No."

"Now, now," Gothel tried to calm the girl as she tried to resume her 'mother' appearance, "listen to me, everything is as it should be." No, what was she talking about? She had kidnapped the princess, lied to her for EIGHTEEN years, sentenced the man who got her out of the prison to death, and she was lying to Rapunzel, YET AGAIN, on how everything was okay? I stopped holding on to the bars and punched my hands together. She had gone too far.

Rapunzel apparently thought so too, because when Gothel tried to pat, practically pet her on the head, she reached out and clenched the accusing hand with her own and declared, "NO! You were _wrong _about the world, and you were wrong about ME!" Gothel struggled to make Rapunzel's hand let go, but Rapunzel, for once, was fuming, and was growing more confident with every word.

"And I will NEVER let you use my hair AGAIN!" Rapunzel yelled, and let her grip on Gothel's hand grow slack. Gothel wrenched her hand out of the smaller one and backed away in horror, and to add to our luck, into a mirror, causing the shattered pieces to litter the floor.

I did a little dance and kicked the air. You kicked butt, Rapunzel! I eagerly watched Rapunzel to see if she was going to acknowledge me, but instead, she never took her eyes off of Gothel. The ill-informed teen turned her back and walked to the window and started to pry it open.

I looked over at Gothel and gulped. The woman had straightened up, and a sinister look came over her as her blue eyes turned icy cold.

Her voice took on a threatening tone as she mumbled (ALERT! ALERT! Gothel, kingdom enemy number one, (Sorry, Eugene, that title is no longer your's) MUMBLED!), "You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I'm the bad guy."

Her expression made me shiver and shrink down to hide in the shadows as Gothel walked calmly over to the kitchen. She looked among the sink and counters and finally grasped a long black handle. I gasped.

The frying pan.

Rapunzel was looping her hair around the hook that was embedded in the ceiling when Gothel, without so much as a word, slammed the metal against her small skull. I screamed loudly as she fell to the floor, unconscious, not uttering a sound at all. I rapidly breathed in and out as Gothel, that horrid woman, dragged the girl over to the fireplace. She then rushed to her bedroom and rustled around. I, as quickly, as I could, scampered down the stairs, tripping over my own feet. I crawled onto Rapunzel's pale face and tried to open her eyes with my hands in panic.

When I heard Gothel coming back, I ran down her arm and into the fireplace. I shrank back into the dirty coals as Gothel returned with, to my absolute horror and anger, chains she had been hiding in her bedroom. She snapped them onto Rapunzel's thin wrists and pulled the ends tight around the fireplace. I shrank even more into the background as she pulled on it to test it out, and when it was tight enough for her, she rummaged through a little dresser and found a white strip of cloth. She smiled cruelly and tied it around Rapunzel's mouth, closing off any way to speak.

She then gathered her cloak and started up the stairs to Rapunzel's room. I had no idea what she was doing in there, nor did I care. I instantly dashed out of my hiding spot and up onto Rapunzel's face again. I frantically and gently slapped her face, which only made her moan. Desperate, I did the one thing I didn't want to do.

I stuck my tongue in her ear.

Oh, believe you me, I SO did not want to do it, but I needed to wake Rapunzel up so we could explain means of escape. So, with a heavy and grossed out heart, I stuck my long magenta tongue into her ear canal, and she woke up slowly, well, more slowly than the thief.

"Pascal?" she mumbled as she struggled to sit up. I could barely make out what she was saying through the cloth, and she yelled as loud as she could, "PASCAL!" I appeared before her and she was barely able to make out, "Wha ha'ened?" I mimicked Eugene by pursing my lips and looking lovey-dovey, the crown by acting like Rapunzel when she first saw the crown, and indicated that she was the lost princess. Her eyes went wide open as she whispered loudly, "Eugene! Tha cwown! I'e tha 'ost pwincess!" and then a dark look came over her as she snarled, "Gothel."

As if on cue, Gothel appeared out from behind the curtains and smiled evilly as she glanced at her nails and said, "Hello, dear." I backed into the fireplace as Rapunzel started struggling and yelling frantically as she tried to escape the chains.

"Oh, please, there's no need for that, because I," she took a object from her bosom, to my complete and utter disgust, "have the key." Rapunzel's eyes grew wider and angrier as she calmed down enough to say in a muffled voice, "Wha you doin'?"

"We'll leaving, Rapunzel, to where you'll be safe and sound, and no one will ever be able to find you again," Gothel smiled sweetly as she descended the stairs and cupped Rapunzel's face in her hands, "cause you're my flower, no one else's." Rapunzel attempted to spit in Gothel's face but only managed to soak the gag, but Gothel took it as an insult (which it was) and yelled, "Don't you EVER do that AGAIN!" and she slapped Rapunzel across her face and walked away.

Rapunzel barely winced when the sharp hand hit her, and she bore no sign of weakness as she struggled all the more against the chains. Gothel kept herself busy as she quickly started filling a basket with food. I crawled onto Rapunzel's chains and started gnawing on them as fast as I could, Rapunzel still working as hard as she could.

We were all so caught up in our work that we all were startled to hear hoofbeats. Gothel straightened in alarm and Rapunzel and I stopped for a moment to watch her. Gothel peered out of the window and gasped and ran to the her room, muttering, "That thief!" Rapunzel looked at me excitedly and I squealed with happiness. Eugene had escaped! Oh, yay! He'd save us!

But our hopes were short-lived as Gothel dashed out of her room and Rapunzel and I gasped in horror to see what was in her hand.

A dagger.

Gothel noticed Rapunzel's alarmed face and scolded, "Look what happened, Rapunzel! He came to save you!" She then drew out her dagger from behind her and examined the blade with deft fingers as she added smugly, "And he shall die for his actions!" Rapunzel screamed in horror and I fell to the chains with a newly kindled fire under my belly.

I stopped, however, when the hoofbeats faded and an all too familiar voice called up, "Rapunzel! Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Gothel smiled at his concerned voice and smugly grasped the long locks of the shrieking girl and tossed them down. Rapunzel screamed and I gasped as I realized that Rapunzel's blonde locks that had saved us in that cave were leading him to his death.

**Okay, call me cruel and dark spirited, but, *looks around suspiciously* I REALLY REALLY ENJOYED TYPING THIS CHAPTER! I never get to write about people when they're mad, and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. I used a lot of vocabulary words from my vocabulary book, it finally came in handy!**


	13. Two Murders and A Resurrection

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, at all. So myself and my sisters just watched Tangled last night and I noticed that the stairs had carpet on them when Gothel sang, "Moooootttthhhheeeerrr! Knows, best," and I whispered to my older sister, "Is there carpet on the stairs when Gothel finds the crown?" and she answered, "Maybe they took it off to clean it?" and for some weird reason, we broke out into hysterics. It was funny. Thank you for pointing that out, Oceanfire9, I'll fix that mistake. Oh, no, WARNING, you might cry!**

Rapunzel and I listened in horror to the sound of the hair rushing down the tower. We heard him catch the lot of blonde rope and he started climbing. Gothel smirked with satisfaction and hid near the stairs for him to come in. I looked at Rapunzel for anything, any way to get out of here, but she only threw me a sad look.

Rapunzel and I could obviously see that we couldn't break these chains, and so she started screaming at the thief to see if she could make him stop and not have to endure his inevitable fate. I dashed back into the fireplace when Gothel turned to Rapunzel and hissed, "Shut up," but Rapunzel would not, she kept wiggling her hands around in the worn metal, chafing her wrists in the process as she pleaded for him to stop.

He apparently didn't hear her cries of despair for he lifted himself up through the windowsill and said breathlessly, "Rapunzel, I thought I'd never see you again!" He stopped, shocked, when he saw the chained up girl. I could hardly breathe as Gothel swiftly stepped forward and slid her dagger into his side. Albeit muffled, I could hear Rapunzel shout clearly, "EUGENE!" The thief groaned in pain as Gothel neatly withdrew the weapon and he stumbled to the floor in a groan.

I gulped in anger when Gothel stepped over his pained body and said accusingly, "Now look what you did, Rapunzel. Oh, don't worry, dear, our secret will die with him!" I burned with rage at those words. Rapunzel didn't do anything! You did everything, you lying deceitful manipulator! How dare she accuse her! I couldn't help but growl lowly as Gothel crossed the room and undid Rapunzel's chains. Rapunzel was still screaming at the top of her lungs, to Gothel's obvious dismay. She wouldn't stop when Gothel attempted to drag her down the secret trap door.

My blood had gone beyond its boiling point and so I sprang into action. I was NOT going to be a coward and let Gothel get away with this! I scrambled across the floor and grabbed a hold on Gothel's bloody red skirt and tugged with all my anger fueled strength. Gothel noticed my small effort and without even any form of hesitation, she kicked me off and instantly turned back to the rebelling teen. I flew across the tower's stone floor and hit the rocky wall. I laid there bruised and battered for a minute while I tried to see through my blurred vision. Gothel had Rapunzel nearly down to the opening, but the teen fought back ruthlessly.

"Rapunzel, really! Enough already! Stop. Fighting. Me!" Gothel yelled angrily. Rapunzel had been able to stall for enough time for her gag to fall, and now she replied angrily, "No! I won't stop! Every day for the rest of my life, I will fight! I will never stop trying to get away from you!" My mind ran at the speed of a million miles per hour, and all I could think of was, "Good job, Rapunzel."

But she wasn't finished speaking.

After she had caught her breath, she inhaled calmly and trembled, "But if you let me save him, I will go with you." I was thoroughly shocked. Apparently so was someone else, for I heard an anguished cry to my left call hoarsely, "No! No, Rapunzel!" The thief groaned in pain as I turned back with sad eyes at the girl who continued, "I'll never run, I'll never try to escape, just let me heal him, and you and I will be together, forever! Just like it was. I promise."

She promised.

She promised Gothel she'd never escape. Never, and she always kept her promises. Always. I turned to Eugene who's face was screwed about in obvious discomfort, but I could tell that he, too, knew the significance of her promise.

She promised.

Even though her back was to me, I could sense the pain in her heart as she said firmly and distinctly, "Just let me, HEAL HIM."

Gothel stared at the girl through slitted eyes. A quiet air fell about the tower, except for the sounds of breathing and the pained groans coming from Eugene. Gothel then sighed and answered with a mean, "Fine." She dropped the chains and slid the key into the lock. Rapunzel's hands instantly fell from the buckles and the girl gasped and turned to the thief in horror as she carefully rubbed her burnt wrists.

Gothel dragged the chains that had held Rapunzel and wound the chains around the stair's newel post and locked it. She then shoved the coughing thief into an upright position and clapped the shackles around his hands and whispered to him, "In case you have any idea about following us," and she threw his hands down and walked away in a huff.

Rapunzel had watched painfully as Gothel did this and now she ran to him quickly as soon as Gothel had left.

"Eugene!" she cried in terror. I groaned and stood up and watched in agony as the thief hacked uncontrollably. Rapunzel pushed back the locks of hair that had fallen over her disheveled face and gently moved his hand that was covering his wound to examine it. I could see from the floor the black-ish blood dripping and oozing out of the deep gash. I shrunk back in horror as Rapunzel crooned soothingly, "Oh! I'm so sorry, everything is going to be okay." He kept trying to interrupt as she continued, "Just breathe."

I was able to barely make out, "I can't let you do this!" I crawled slowly over to the two and changed colors in order for them not to see me. They seemed like they were panicking on the inside but on the outside they were putting on a brave face for the other. Rapunzel almost started to cry as she answered softly, "And I can't let you die." That sent a pang of pain into my heart as I sighed helplessly at the situation.

Eugene, as well, tried to make her stop by whispering, "But if you do this, then y-you will die." Rapunzel smiled sadly and said quietly, "Hey. Everything's going to be alright." I slumped and sighed. She was right, in a weird way. Everything was going back to the way things were. No thief, no lights, just staying in a secluded place for the rest of our lives, but, yet, _nothing_ was going to be the way it was. We knew about the lights, and Gothel, and Rapunzel was in love with Eugene! How was she supposed to be happy without him?

I turned to see the thief smiled weakly at her response, and Rapunzel started to close her eyes, (for the room was about to get a whole lot brighter) but before she could sing her magical melody, he stopped her with a feeble murmur, "Rapunzel, wait." Her eyes turned into little white slits as she closed them and he tucked a bit of her blonde tresses behind her ear.

He was about to kiss her, I realized dishearteningly. Their first and last kiss.

But then he did something completely and utterly mind-boggling.

He drew his hand around to the back of her neck and gripped the hair with his weakening fingers, and he held it tight as he sliced through the mount of hair with a shard of mirror that was lying about.

Oh my gosh.

The whole shabang fell from his fingers and he fell limp on Rapunzel's lap. Rapunzel's quick fingers reached for her scalp and felt the rapidly-turning-brown spikes. I instantly put a hand over my mouth in shock. It all had happened in a manner of seconds but it seemed to have been in slow motion.

"Eugene!" she cried. She clutched the rope of hair in astonishment as Gothel, who had been waiting impatiently by the infamous closet, howled in alarm, "NO!" Gothel reached down and grabbed the locks of brown hair as quickly as she could as she babbled, "NO! NO!" She let the brown hair slip from her grasp of her now wrinkly grey hand. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

I was thoroughly disgusted with Gothel's appearance. Her shocking visage last night and the night before became obvious that it looked that way because of Rapunzel's hair. Her usually black or streaked grey hair became a ghostly white, thin and fine and the amount of wrinkles on that woman was shocking! She dropped to the ground to try to see her awful self in the mirror and when she was able to see herself, she stepped back and horror and dragged the hood of her cloak over her face. She started walking backwards and babbling.

Here was my chance.

Here was _the _chance to get back at this woman, this, this FIEND, who made all of this happen! My brown eyes darted about and noticed the rope of hair. A smug smile dawned on my face as I seized the hair with my teeth and pulled. The woman had no idea what was happening, so when her feet tripped over the brown mess, she flung out her hands in panic but to no use. She fell out the window and screaming, plummeted down. I instantly climbed to the sill and saw the old woman's cloak on the earth's floor.

She was no more.

I glanced about and saw storm clouds moving in ominously, and for good reason. I scurried down the sill and hopped on the stair banister and changed into a dark color, for this scene was dark and sad.

Rapunzel, after seeing her 'mother' being murdered before her eyes, turned to the stabbed man. He had fallen from his position of leaning against the newel post and he was currently nearly unconscious on the floor. Rapunzel gathered him into her lap as she held up his head and demanded, "Eugene! Don't go, stay with me, Eugene!" She grabbed his hand in panic and placed it on her now 'dead' hair and tearfully recited, "_Flower, gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine." _She stuttered a bit over some of the parts as she tried to suppress the growing sobs in her chest.

The dying thief, bless him, tried to calm her down enough for her to listen to him. He himself, it seemed to me, had somewhat accepted death, and now he was trying to make her listen. His 'Flynn Rider arrogant thief' profile had melted into a sober Eugene Fitzherbert. He kept saying, "Rapunzel, hey," and she finally stopped to listen to him with a frantic, "What?"

And he said in the most comforting and sincere voice I had ever heard, "You were my new dream." I felt my chest grow heavy when she bitter-sweetly answered, "And you were mine."

I felt myself choke up a bit as they gazed into each other's eyes for the last time. They were _in love, _and here that chance at having a relationship, even getting married, was thrown away by a selfish old woman. I sniffled a bit when Eugene's face turned pale, and he drew his last breath, and he exhaled and went limp.

Eugene was dead.

Rapunzel's eyes were close to over-flowing as she clutched his limp hand. Her love was dead.

The atmosphere in the room turned quiet and solemn. Rapunzel's shallow breathing slowed as she stroked his lifeless face. Her hair was spread about the floor, her hair, her beloved magical hair, was brown and dead, but she didn't care. She didn't care that he had taken away her hair, because she knew that he had done it for her.

I barely chirped above a subtle sound and sighed sadly. He had done it for her, because he knew that she couldn't stay hidden away from the world, away from people, away from life. He had done it for her, because he loved her. And she loved him back.

Rapunzel was in a disheveled state. She did not know what to do, and so she did the only thing she could think of. She sang.

Her quiet and sorrowful voice sang a very tragic incantation, a song we both knew all too well, "_Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design, save what has been lost," _she stumbled over the last part and continued, "_bring back what once was mine," _she leaned over his ashen face and added tearfully, "_What once was mine." _She then let the tears flow down her face as she started to sob.

My face crumpled into an expression of pure sorrow. He was dead. He had been such a self-centered man, one who I had loathed with a passion, but yet, over time, he had become a good friend, a comrade, and he had stolen Rapunzel's heart. And he was dead.

I finally knew what the words of that song meant. The flower was never meant to keep one young and to improve looks, it was meant to heal the sick and injured, the people who actually deserved to not have to suffer for their wounds and sicknesses. It was meant to help, not to hurt. It had been used as the opposite of what it was meant for.

Rapunzel started sobbing uncontrollably and a single tear fell on his cheek. I didn't think of it as anything at first, but then I started watching intently as a little flicker of light rose from the fallen tear. The light grew brighter as Rapunzel sat up and wiped her teary eyes in wonder. I gasped as Eugene's wound started to glow like the tear, and the bright light from the injury swirled about Rapunzel in amazement. I gasped as I tried to dodge the lights.

The shining lights zipped about a shocked Rapunzel, who couldn't say anything as a glowing flower unfolded from the wound. These lights, it seemed, were more magical than those floating lanterns. Apparently Rapunzel had had some magic in her, causing her sorrowful weeping to work miracles. My quick mind put it all together as I realized something. Max had told me yesterday that the Queen had ingested a magic flower, and since Rapunzel was the baby born after she had drank the potion, Rapunzel must have healing powers IN HER.

My thoughts died down along with the magical light as Rapunzel tucked a bit of stray now short and brown hair away from her face and turned to the unconscious thief. I could already tell from my position that his chest was slowly starting to go up and down. My eyes widened when he barely opened his eyes and said barely above a whisper, "Rapunzel?"

"Eugene?" Rapunzel exclaimed eagerly. He gave her a slight smile and said, I rolled my eyes in playful annoyance, "Did I ever tell you I've got a thing for brunettes?" Rapunzel giggled excitedly and tackled the weak man. I chirped excitedly as she breathed, "Eugene!" Her arms tightened around his neck and he affectionately hugged her tighter, and I could tell that he never wanted to let her go.

Rapunzel gently pulled out of their embrace to catch a glimpse of his alive face, and she grabbed his collar and brought him to her lips, and she lovingly kissed him. I smiled warmly at her innocence, and nearly laughed at Eugene's face. He had been caught off guard by her, but now he maneuvered her lips into a different position, and he kissed her back. I gulped in disgust and turned pink and covered my eyes (just like the 'ol routine)!

I was able to face them again when I heard Rapunzel cry, almost in tears, (happy tears, mind you), "Oh, Eugene! You came back! I thought, just..." I sighed contentedly as she hugged him more tightly around the waist and started to sob. He wrapped an arm around her with one hand and stroked her hair with his other and quietly whispered to her, "Hey, it's okay, I'm here now." She only tightened her grip and then pulled back to face him.

"I'm sorry," she managed to make out.

"Hey," he soothed her, "don't be. It's not your fault."

"It's just that everything happened so fast, one minute I have magic healing hair and the next minute the two beings who I care about the most in the whole world both die," she started crying again, bless her heart. I just wanted to pat her on the back.

"WHAT? PASCAL IS DEAD?" Eugene stammered loudly. Albeit pleased he actually knew my name, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the man. I jumped from the newel post onto his shoulder and gave his head a swat. Geez, I'm about as dead as the Pub Thugs.

"No, he's right here," Rapunzel giggled as she wiped her nose with one finger and held out her hands to me. I was so relieved about everything that I didn't care that her finger has germs all over it. I snuggled against the side of her neck as she grew sober and shared, "Actually, when you cut my hair, Mot-Gothel, Gothel, grew so old that she started growing really, really white and she tripped out of the window." I gasped as I realized that I had helped kill Gothel. I thought that it'd feel good, but instead I had a little pit in the bottom of my stomach.

Eugene's eyes grew wide as he stuttered, "I killed her!" Rapunzel put on a sad smile as she nodded. He looked at her incredulously. I could tell that he had never thought that it'd KILL the evil woman, he just had wanted to keep Rapunzel from being her slave.

"I, I don't know what to say," he fumbled. He could tell as well as I that we had both wanted her dead, but now seeing Rapunzel's sad face made us think twice about it.

"It's, it's okay, I mean, she wasn't even my real mother, and, and, she stabbed you!" she clung to him with a fresh set of tears.

"Hey, it's alright," Eugene tried to soothe her, but when she still hung onto him, he lightly scolded, "if you don't stop, I'll sic Pascal on you!" I turned to face him and put my hands on my hips and stuck my tongue out at him. How dare he even make such a threat, and like heck I'd listen to him.

Rapunzel, however, giggled at his weak threat, and turned to his face and inhaled deeply. She brushed a bit of brown hair away from her face as she said, "Eugene, please don't freak out (I suddenly remembered that she had some important news to tell him, and that he was probably going to freak out), but, I'm the lost princess." She held out her arms and giggled slightly.

The color in his face paled slightly and he groaned and went out like a snuffed candle. I squeaked in horror as Rapunzel gasped in shock and grabbed his shoulders and started shaking him as hard as she could.

"EUGENE!" She yelled frantically at the man. He winced from the high pitch in her voice and carefully heaved himself up against the newel post on the staircase and gaped at her.

"I'm alright, but, _you're the lost princess?_" Eugene repeated, a bit more than surprised. I snickered as Rapunzel nudged me and giggled, "Yeah, I am." Eugene still gaped all the harder at her response as she stopped giggling and looked at him worriedly, "Now what?"

He straightened more and scratched the back of his neck nervously as he stammered, "Well, we should, uh, take you back to the kingdom, and to the King and Queen, I guess." Rapunzel stood up and she and I peered around the tower. I sniffed around and found the key to his chains. It must have fallen off of Gothel when she was having her not-so-mini panic attack. Oh, this was going to be gross! I gingerly bit onto it and dragged it to Rapunzel's waiting hands. She gratefully took from me and patted me on the head. "Thanks, Pascal." She set to unlocking the chains and they instantly fell off of the thief's wrists.

While he massaged his hands, Rapunzel and I looked around. How were we supposed to get down? She and I then had a light bulb moment (what are light bulbs?) when we both turned to the mountain of brown hair. She gathered the hair in her arms and laughed, "It doesn't just glow!"

He chuckled at her familiar words and caught a bunch of the hair. Eugene smiled as he said, "It does so much more."

Eugene strung the brown hair on the hook while Rapunzel and I searched the tower for anything we needed. All of Rapunzel's old dresses were getting small, and she was wearing her best one, so she felt no need to bring anymore. She found the frying pan lying limply by the fireplace, and she eagerly picked it up and fingered it tenderly.

"Oh, I forgive you for knocking me out," Rapunzel said softly to the frying pan. I could hardly stifle a laugh that she was actually talking to a kitchen utensil.

Eugene had heard the words too, and he turned to Rapunzel in shock as he exclaimed, "She HIT you with the frying pan?" Rapunzel and I nodded yes, "She had to knock me out somehow."

I saw a fire of rage burn in his brown eyes as he balled his hands into fists in anger. Believe me, I was just as angry at Gothel as he was. Rapunzel walked to the man and touched his arm slightly to get his attention.

"I'm okay," she smiled at him reassuringly. He bit his lip to keep back his feelings, and turned back to Rapunzel with a fake smile.

"I know," Eugene said. A then genuine smile crossed his face as he scooped Rapunzel up into his arms. She giggled with glee as she peered into his eyes (I quickly got prepared in case there was going to be kissing involved), and said, "Looks like Flynn Rider saved the damsel in distress."

He answered her with, "No, the damsel in distress saved Flynn Rider." Rapunzel grinned at him, and with that, he caught the brown rope of hair and climbed down with her clinging to him, and I on her shoulder.

**Okay, be brutally honest, did I make you cry? Cause I certainly wept. Was it epic and intense? The end was cheesy, but I don't care. Please let me know in your comments. YAYYYYY! HE LIVED!**


	14. Home

**DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Tangled, and...(stressing syllables) this is the last chapter! I'm kinda sad to see it end, like when you watch Tangled and you see the map at the beginning of the end credits and you're like, "Sniff. It's over," though it's probably not like that for you, probably just me, cause I'm a sap. Anyhoo, TANGLED!**

Once Eugene had stepped down from the mass of hair, Rapunzel slipped off of him and the three of us were greeted by an anxious Maximus. When we had first started to descend, I had seen the horse nervously pacing around the tower, taking an occasion sniff at Gothel's old cloak. Now he ran to us in relief and nearly knocked over Rapunzel and I in joy. I gave the loveable lug a smile as Rapunzel scratched his snout and soothed, "Hey, everything turned out okay."

Maximus nodded and turned and gave Eugene a weird look, saying, "What the heck happened?" Eugene held up his hands to show that he didn't really know how to explain it, and he then helped Rapunzel and I up onto the horse. Maximus had had plenty of time to rest after his long ride from the kingdom and now he smiled at me determinedly and once Eugene had clambered onto Max's saddle, the horse kicked his feet in the air and galloped through the vine entrance.

Eugene gave him a little kick with his boot to slow him down, to pace him, I guess, and we started slowly toward the kingdom.

I managed to crawl off of Rapunzel's shoulder and onto the top of Maximus' head. He glanced up at me and I waved hello. He then asked me what had happened in the tower. I gave a little laugh, for after all this drama, I needed to take a load off. I then settled down and explained to him about everything, how Eugene had seemingly deserted us, about the red-haired men who tried to kidnap Rapunzel, (the Stabbington Brothers, Maximus growled. He explained how they were wanted criminals, and that only made me smack my palm with my fist in anger), and how Gothel had belittled Rapunzel.

I was just about to tell him about Rapunzel being the lost princess when Rapunzel, who seemed to have almost dozed on the horse, leaned toward Maximus' face and said excitedly, "Hey, Maximus, guess what?" The horse stopped for a moment as Rapunzel whispered in his ear, "I'm the lost princess." Maximus snorted in surprise and instantly turned his head so that he could examine Rapunzel from head to toe. His eyes widened and I laughed as he turned to Eugene, who gave him the eyebrow thing. Ha, a taste of your own medicine, huh Max?

"Yep, I'm the lost princess, so we're heading to the castle," Rapunzel explained. She hugged herself and giggled, "I'm the lost princess!" She then stopped for a moment to establish that in her brain, "I'm the lost princess." She then started squealing and shouted, "I'm the lost princess!" and she threw her arms around Eugene and giggled. Maximus turned to me in alarm and I only nodded understandingly. Rapunzel kinda did that a lot.

Eugene then started the astonished horse into motion, and he started walking again. Maximus then listened wide-eyed as I explained about Rapunzel finding out that she was the lost princess and how Gothel had knocked her unconscious with the frying pan. He snarled at that part. So did I. I hate Gothel. He listened intently as I went on on how Eugene had shown up and had gotten stabbed. Max looked at the thief in wonderment, probably wondering how the heck the guy survived that.

I went on on how he had cut Rapunzel's blonde hair (that seemed to answer one of his many questions), how Gothel had died (Max neighed a cheer at that part) and how Eugene had died. Of course the horse stopped and looked the thief over again, which made Rapunzel and Eugene look from the horse to each other and shrug.

He seemed to be pondering my words/gestures/I-don't-really-know-how-he's-understanding-all-of-this-stuff when I told him about the magic tear and how we all ended up like this. I let out the breath that I didn't know that I had been holding.

The three of us riding on Max's back went quiet for a while. Rapunzel had her arms around the thief's waist and was sleeping soundly. Eugene kept wiping his eyes and yawning. It was apparent that the two of them had had a restless night, worrying about each other, which I actually thought was kinda sweet.

Max was wide awake though, and apparently I had fallen asleep because when he neighed, I found myself waking up. I stood up and stretched and examined our surroundings. Eugene gently woke up the sleepy Rapunzel and pointed out the small tavern with a large tree leaning against it.

Eugene gave a small sigh and said, "Ahh, the Pub Thugs!"

Rapunzel and I turned to the guy and she asked, "What about them?"

"They were the ones who helped me bust out of prison. Blondie," he turned around to face Rapunzel, "you need to get your parents to let them go."

"What? How!" Rapunzel wondered loudly.

"Your parents, the King and Queen, you need to let them know that those men are not criminals and to let them go, okay?" he asked her. I looked from Eugene to Rapunzel in worry. Were the Pub Thugs going to be set free?

"Okay, I'll do it!" Rapunzel smiled bravely. She hit her palm with her fist like I often did and then groaned, "Somehow." Eugene smiled kindly at her and wrapped her into a hug. Maximus watched them with a smile on his face and when I looked down at him, what should he do but his stupid eyebrow thing. I rolled my eyes and Maximus started walking again.

Rapunzel then straightened and tapped Eugene on the back, ('cause he had went and turned his back), "How DID you escape from prison?" I watched him curiously as he cleared his throat and said in a dramatic voice, "This is the story, of how I almost died before I really did die." Despite herself, Rapunzel let out a little giggle, and he chuckled and so did I, because Rapunzel's laugh was so infectious.

He then proceeded with a wild LONG tale, so I settled down on Maximus' mane and listened, wide-eyed, as he explained to Rapunzel what had happened. When he had taken the satchel last night, he had approached the Stabbington Brothers in hope that they'd take the satchel and leave. However, they somehow had found out about Rapunzel's hair ("Mother Gothel," Rapunzel growled sadly) and had knocked him out.

The next thing that he knew, he had woken up tied to a boat's mast with the crown in his hands. He had been arrested and had been through a very quick trial (whatever a trial is, I don't know) and had been sentenced to death by hanging. Rapunzel nervously ask Eugene, "What's hanging?"

I gulped as he scratched the back of his neck and answered quietly, "It's when they tie a rope around your neck and tighten it until you don't have any air left." Rapunzel gasped and only tightened her grip around him and sniffed. I turned blue at the thought.

He then continued by saying he barely had had any sleep that night, worrying about her, and then at dawn, the Captain (I always had hated that guy) came to take him to his demise. While he was being led throught the prison halls, he had noticed the Stabbington Brothers in their own cell, ("Mother Gothel had knocked them out with a big branch," Rapunzel added. "They were probably discovered late last night," Eugene added), and demanded info. He had figured out from what the talking brother had told him that Gothel was with Rapunzel and that the girl was in danger. When he tried to break away from the guards, they only multiplied the amount of men holding him down.

Once they had gotten to a hallway, he had noticed a unicorn, a ceramic unicorn. The door at the end of the hall was locked, and one by one, the guards mysteriously disappeared. Atilla knocked out the Captain with a frying pan, ("Frying pans!" Rapunzel squealed. "Yeah, who knew, right?" Eugene smiled at her), and he somehow managed to be flown through the air onto Maximus' back (I still really don't get that) and they raced off to the tower.

"And the rest is history," Eugene finished. Rapunzel smiled and patted Max on the back. When he turned and neighed softly to her, she whispered, "Thank you."

We continued on for a few hours. They had raced to the tower in who know's how much time, and it literally being a life or death situation, Max had given it his all, and now Maximus was a wee bit tired by the time we reached the castle bridge. Somehow, in some way, we had not run into any of the castle guards, which was needless to say, weird. Eugene jumped down from Max and Rapunzel cradled me in her hands and then carefully plopped me onto her shoulder. The four of us looked determinedly at the bridge, and simultaneously gulped.

While Rapunzel wandered ahead a bit on the bridge, I, with my super cool mega hearing ears, heard Eugene whisper to Maximus, "We need to get her to the castle. It doesn't matter if I'm caught as long as we get her an audience with the King and Queen, okay Max?" Maximus, practically as loyal as I was, (well, not THAT loyal, I'm an extremely loyal reptile) nodded his head vigorously in response.

Rapunzel leaned over the bridge's railing and sighed to herself. I crawled off of her arm and looked at her with big eyes. Eugene noticed her sad appearance and leaned over the railing next to her. A quiet silence filled the still afternoon air and he asked her quietly, "You okay?"

Rapunzel rested her head in her folded arms and whispered, "I'm terrified." Wow, this seemed to really be like deja vu. Seriously, she had been like this last night. LAST NIGHT? Did all this really happen in three days? I chuckled a little to myself in realizing that yes, it had been three days. Still amazes me.

Eugene smiled at her comfortingly and wondered, "Why?"

Rapunzel chuckled softly to herself, just like she had last night, and answered, "I've just found out that I'm the lost princess, that I've been lied to for eighteen years and that I'll be meeting my real parents for the first time. Is there a reason NOT to be terrified?"

Eugene contemplated her words thoughtfully, and answered, "No, I guess not. But," he turned to Max, who had joined us and was beside me, and myself and asked, "does it help to know that you've got us?" I smiled at the man's words and gave her a thumb's up.

Rapunzel looked at the three of us for a moment. I suppose that she was thinking about how three days ago it seemed seemingly impossible that the three of us, who were constantly fighting and bickering, became friends because of her. Without her, we would not be like this. She brought us together.

Rapunzel smiled and squealed, "Group hug!" Max nuzzled his nose against her and I leaped over to her shoulder and wrapped my arms around her neck. She wrapped Eugene in her arms and he did the same. The thief then went and kissed her hair softly, causing Max and I to leap out of the hug in disgust. Maximus neighed and looked at me weirdly. I shrugged and rolled my eyes. Humans, right?

I leapt onto Maximus' back and took hold of his reins. He and I were quite used to being rider and horse now. That fact was kinda cool. I chirped loudly for the lovesick humans to look at us. I gestured with my head that we needed to get a move on, and they understood.

Did we make a big impression on the village or what? I mean, the whole town was buzzing with news of Rider's cunning escape and they could only stare in shock when we passed through town. We HAD tried to stay on a low profile, but apparently lover boy Eugene had gone and ruined it. Perfect.

Before we could even make it out of the main town square, we were instantly surrounded by guards. The Captain was nowhere to be seen, (he was searching in the forest for the thief, I later found out), probably meaning the guy in the slightly more shiny armor than the rest of them was the second-in-command. Said guy was currently poking a crossbow at Eugene's throat and was growling, "Why did you come back?"

Max and I looked at each other worriedly. Rapunzel looked scared for a moment and then shoved the crossbow out of her way to stand between the commander and the thief. She looked angry for the upteenth time today, and I watched in wonderment as she whispered slowly, "You'll have to get through me if you want him."

Maximus neighed in horror and bounded toward her, only to be forcefully stopped by eight guards. I held onto the horse for dear life as he neighed for them to stop, but of course they didn't. The poor horse, exhausted and tired, finally gave up and stopped struggling. There was nothing more we could do.

The commander looked at her oddly. Rapunzel wasn't that scary looking, to be perfectly honest. She was small, and a girl, and cute with her purple dress and pixie haircut, which I say I'm really liking. She didn't look intimidating at all. The commander rolled his eyes in annoyance that there was a small teen standing in his way from apprehending the most wanted criminal in all the kingdoms and yelled at her, "Move!"

Rapunzel clenched her fists and said firmly, "I won't!"

The commander's temper was growing shorter and he shouted at her, "Then I'll kill you too!" Eugene's face grew red with spite against the commander and Max and I shared a small gasp. Could he do that? Maximus whispered to me that she'd have to have a trial first for helping a criminal. That only made my fears increase. Gulp.

"You can't kill me!" Rapunzel retorted. Max and I shared a look as the commander shouted, "Why not? MOVE!"

"Because I am the lost princess!" Rapunzel said quietly, yet incredibly firm. I smirked to myself when I saw the blood drain from the commander's face, and he lowered his crossbow.

"What?" was all that he could say. Huh, so much for Mr. Tough Guy, huh?

"I'm the lost princess. I was kidnapped the night of my birth, and I had blonde hair. Then it was cut, and the old woman who had kidnapped me, Mother Gothel, died along with it." She fluffed her hair a bit for the man to see and continued, "It was blonde because it had healing powers from the magic flower. It kept Mother Gothel alive for hundreds of years, and she kidnapped me because of my hair!" Rapunzel took a breath and continued, "He saved me, Eug-Flynn Rider rescued me from her. That is why I won't let you kill him." Her eyes could have had venom in them for the commander gulped and answered weakly, "Very well."

* * *

Somehow, some way, Rapunzel's speech had been able to not only spare their lives, but she was also able to gain an audience with the royals. Max and I had been left on the bottom of the stairway while the two of them were led up onto the balcony to wait.

Of course, all this suspense was maddening, and I was pretty sure I was going to make a hole in Max's saddle by the time we got any news because I was pacing. A lot. The horse, having been the most decorated horse in the royal force, was allowed free, and was now watching me with half-lidded eyes as I mumbled to myself. He cleared his throat and caught my attention. He gestured with his eyes to the balcony and I instantly formulated a plan.

With a pat on the back for Max, I crawled down his back and instantly turned into the color of the balcony. When Maximus smiled in a 'thumb's up' sort of way, I nodded and crawled up the balcony stair's railing.

I had just gotten to the top when the heavy brown doors opened and my mouth dropped. It was the King and Queen, I could tell because they simply REEKED of royalty. I backed away in feeling like if they looked at me, I'd disappear. I turned to Rapunzel and Eugene, who appeared to have been holding hands (d'aww!), who were watching the royal couple as well. Rapunzel looked incredibly anxious, which I could understand, THIS day had been the biggest day of her life, and the thief, gracious, Fitzherbert, he was as calm and as cool as a cucumber. How did he do that?

The Queen appeared to be examining Rapunzel intently, curiously, like she was from a dream or something. I could instantly tell that she was Rapunzel's mother. They shared the same colored hair, the same green eyes, the same EVERYTHING. Rapunzel and the Queen approached each other, both taking in the other slowly.

Once they were close enough to touch, the Queen carefully placed a trembling hand on Rapunzel's cheek. I half-expected for Rapunzel to pull away, but instead she leaned into the woman's hand. The Queen's eyes were visibly filling with happy tears as she let loose a small giggle and she smiled a lopsided grin. That grin reminded me of someone, and that someone was Rapunzel. The girl returned with the same grin, the same tear-filled eyes and they wrapped each other in their arms.

The King smiled and wrapped his arms around the two, and I could see tears in the intimidating man's eyes. I sniffed softly to myself as the royal family hugged one another, reunited at last.

It was then to my surprise that the Queen held out her hand to Eugene, who had tried to sneak into the background of their reunion. He took her hand and smiled at her, surprised himself that the Queen would offer a handshake to a thief, and I laughed excitedly when the Queen pulled the young man into their family hug.

I smiled at them and appeared green for Maximus to see me. He looked at me with wide eyes and a smile when I gleefully gave him a thumb's up. The lost princess had returned.

* * *

The entire kingdom rejoiced, for their lost princess had returned (obviously). The King and Queen held a large kingdom wide festival for an entire week, and I could remember a TON of it. There had been a banquet, a huge party in town that lasted the whole week that included hundreds more lanterns and a return trip to the Snuggly Duckling, which is more fun and less evil looking when you know everyone. Eugene, apparently, later had told Rapunzel that he hadn't remembered much of it at all, probably because of the frying pan. I think it did something to his memory.

Anyhoo, A LOT transpired over the week. Rapunzel had easily been able to release the Pub Thugs, and because Rapunzel had encouraged them, they went on to fufill their dreams. Hook Hand played the piano during the party, Big Nose found true love if you can believe it! and Ulf, whom I later found out freaked Eugene out, went on to be the best mime in the kingdom.

Maximus was rewarded gratefully for his help to the crown, (which he's still excited over) and, to the Captain's obvious dismay, became captain of the royal guards. The Captain was demoted to second-in-command and with Max as Captain, not only did the kingdom's crime disapppear PRACTICALLY OVER NIGHT, the whole force was newly equipped with the most verastile weapon ever known to men: the frying pan. Yeah, a lot of things came out of Max getting promoted, only one problem, there seems to now be a shortage of apples in the castle's pantry.

I, of course, never changed. A lot of times, you could find me in the hands of Lauren, Laura, Lucy or Lydia, being fed a rainbow of fruit. I was always given quite the selection, because for every fruit, I changed into the color of that fruit. The four little girls especially liked orange and purple.

As for the thief, you can officially call him an ex-thief now, for because he had brought back the lost princess, the King wiped his slate clean (and maybe there was that added reason of him being absolutely head over heels in love with his daughter to add to the mix). He was now more humble than he had been when he stumbled into the tower, and we had all become better friends with him. He had stopped thieving, but he did have a tendency to take Rapunzel's crown without her looking.

Rapunzel was beaming like she never had before. She was now surrounded by friends, family and animals who loved her very dearly. She had gotten her hair trimmed in some places and it was now styled on her head perfectly. She was kind, good, and generous to her subjects, her people, who loved her an awful lot.

Rapunzel and I are still the best of friends, and I went with her everywhere. Of course, there was always the downside to going with her everywhere, for there was one thing I tried to avoid when she and Eugene were together. They kiss an awful lot, and of course when they do, I cover my eyes and turn pink, just like the 'ol routine.

As for this whole story, I find myself agreeing with Rapunzel. It wasn't fate nor a horse that brought the thief and the lost princess together; it was pure destiny.

**Wow! I just have to say that felt SO amazing to write. I think I gave Pascal an awfully sophisticated mind for a chameleon, but I honestly think he is WAY smarter than any other chameleon. I'd like to thank all who've read this story and a special thanks to all who review. I couldn't have done it without y'all. **

**Frying pans rock, so does Tangled, and I just have one thing to say...**

**They lived happily ever after. **

**The end. **


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